Mortality Rates at the Bamako Dermatology Hospital from 2015 to 2020

Introduction: Numerous studies have been conducted on causes of death in dermatology in Africa. However, no study has been carried out on this subject in Mali, which is why this study was initiated. The aim of this study was to describe the causes of death in dermatology in Bamako from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2020. Patients and methods: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study of the medical records of patients admitted between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2020 to the dermatology department of the Bamako Dermatology Hospital [Mali]. The study included all cases of death occurring during hospitalisation where the cause was a dermatological condition. Results: A wide range of conditions were identified as responsible for the deaths. Infectious dermatoses accounted for 54.76 per cent and included necrotising fasciitis [25.38 per cent] and erysipelas [2.38 per cent]; neoplastic skin conditions accounted for 2.38 per cent and comprised Kaposi’s sarcoma; autoimmune bullous skin conditions accounted for 26.19 per cent and included pemphigus only; severe toxic dermatoses were represented by Lyell’s syndrome [9.52 per cent]; and diabetic ulcers [7.14 per cent]. Conclusion: Our study revealed that the mortality rate in dermatology was high and that necrotising fasciitis was responsible for more than half of the deaths observed. It is therefore necessary to implement strategies to improve the management of necrotising fasciitis in order to reduce the mortality rate.