The Prevalence of Rheumatic Diseases in Rural Areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

This book presents the clinical picture of rheumatic diseases in rural areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) through a study carried out in the villages surrounding Nkamba-Nouvelle Jérusalem in Kongo-Central Province. Overall, 49.5 per cent of participants reported osteoarticular complaints; pain was the 'predominant symptom' in the majority of joint conditions and was of mechanical and/or inflammatory aetiology. The most common sites of pain were the lumbar spine (27.2 per cent) and the hands (27.1 per cent) . Several nosological entities were diagnosed on the basis of international criteria, and the prevalence of each was determined. In conclusion, rheumatic diseases are prevalent and present a varied clinical picture in rural Congo. Some differences compared with data in the literature were observed for certain conditions, from demographic, clinical, biological and radiological perspectives.