Prevalence and determinants of electrocardiographic abnormalities in sub-Saharan African individuals with type 2 diabetes

Aim

This study assessed the prevalence and determinants of electrocardiographic abnormalities in a group of type 2 diabetes patients recruited from two referral centres in Cameroon.

Methods

A total of 420 patients (49% men) receiving chronic diabetes care at the Douala General and Yaoundé Central hospitals were included. Electrocardiographic abnormalities were investigated, identified and related to potential determinants, with logistic regressions.

Results

The mean age and median duration of diagnosis were 56.7 years and four years, respectively. The main electrocardiographic aberrations (prevalence %) were: T-wave abnormalities (20.9%), Cornell product left ventricular hypertrophy (16.4%), arrhythmia (16.2%), ischaemic heart disease (13.6%), conduction defects (11.9%), QTc prolongation (10.2%) and ectopic beats (4.8%). Blood pressure variables were consistently associated with all electrocardiographic abnormalities. Diabetes-specific factors were associated with some abnormalities only.

Conclusions

Electrocardiographic aberrations in this population were dominated by repolarisation, conduction defects and left ventricular hypertrophy, and were more related to blood pressure than diabetes-specific factors.