Knee pain in outpatient at the National Hospital Ignace Deen, Conakry, Guinea

Abstract

Background: Knee pain is a common complaint in primary care.
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the profile of knee pain at the Ignace Deen National Hospital (HNID) in Conakry, Guinea.
Design: This was a two year descriptive prospective study.
Methods: All patients who had consulted for a knee pain were included.
Results: Knee pain represented 4.1% of the reasons for consultation. The average age was 53.8 years with extremes of 4 and 88 years. We noted a female predominance at 53.83% with a sex ratio H/F: 0.8. Axial disorders of the lower limbs accounted for 58.6% of knee pain risk factors. The mean intensity of pain (VAS) was 58.2mm with extremes of 20 and 80mm. Standard radiography was the most performed balance (63.4%). Knee osteoarthritis was the most common condition in 50.9% of cases. The level I analgesic treatment was the most prescribed at 69.7%. The average Lequesne index was 6.7 with extremes of 1 and 15.
Conclusions: Knee pain remains a public health problem, particularly in developing countries. In our study the risk factors were dominated by age, overweight and axial deformities with a female predominance. Knee pain is becoming increasingly important in Guinea. This study has enabled us to identify the various knee pathologies that are most frequent in our context and has the merit of being one of the first studies to describe the profile of knee pain in sub-Saharan Africa.

Key words: Knee pain, Knee osteoarthritis, Outpatient, Guinea