Osteoarticular Complications of Diabetes Mellitus in Bukavu: A Multicenter Retrospective Study

Background Osteoarticular complications of diabetes mellitus (DM) are underrecognized but significantly impact patient outcomes. This study evaluated their prevalence, characteristics, and predictors among diabetic patients in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo. Methods This retrospective multicenter study analyzed 103 diabetic patients with osteoarticular complications across four Bukavu hospitals from 2021 to 2023. Data were extracted from medical records and analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, logistic regression, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and Pearson correlation in SPSS. Results Among 694 diabetic patients, 103 (14.84%) had osteoarticular complications. Gender distribution was balanced (50.5% female, sex ratio of 0.98) was observed, with a mean age of 59.98 ± 10.5 years and BMI of 27.5 ± 8.6 kg/m². Type 2 DM (80.6%), poor glycemic control (87.4%), and poor treatment compliance (68.9%) were common. Diabetic foot ulcers (36.9%) and osteoarthritis (29.1%) predominated, primarily affecting lower limbs (58.3%). Medical-surgical treatment was used in 54.4% of cases, with a 6.8% mortality rate, mostly within 36 days. Poor glycemic control increased the risk of death (OR = 3.45, 95% CI: 1.12–10.63, p  = 0.031), and disease duration correlated with severity (r = 0.31, p  = 0.002). As a component of Survival, Time to death was shorter with poor compliance ( p  = 0.048). Conclusions Osteoarticular complications are prevalent in Bukavu’s diabetic population, associated with poor glycemic control and longer disease duration. Enhanced screening and adherence strategies are critical for prevention and improved outcomes.