Mass screening for type 2 diabetes in Algeria: What lessons?; [Dépistage de masse du diabète de type 2 en Algérie: quels enseignements ?]

Following a great awareness campaign and with 2300 investigators, the Eastern region of Algeria has achieved 86,785 tests in subjects aged 30 years and older in 18 provinces. In a first step all subjects had capillary blood glucose measurement and then in a second step fasting plasma glucose measurement and an assessment of complications. The prevalence of unknown diabetes is 5.27% [CI 95%: 5.12-5.42] and it is increased with age and BMI. 15% had renal failure and 12.5% retinopathy. The random capillary blood glucose level of 200mg/dl is a good diagnostic test with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 83.7%. Risk factors for diabetes include age, BMI, family history of diabetes, history of gestational diabetes, hypertension and obesity. These results encourage us to strengthen and intensify health education of the population with special emphasis on those at risk and giving priority to targeted screening. © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS- Tous droits réservés.