A Seven-Year retrospective review of stroke admissions in Benin-City, Southern Nigeria

Background: Stroke is a significant cause of hospital admissions, disability and mortality, but there is a lack of information onstroke in parts of the southern region of Nigeria.Objective: To analyze the frequency of stroke admissions, clinical presentations, risk factors, stroke types and outcomes over seven years, in a secondary level hospital in southern Nigeria. Methods:Thiswas a retrospective study. The hospital recordof patients hospitalizedbetween January 2006 and December 2012 at the Central Hospital, Benin-City with thediagnosis of stroke based on the World Health Organization (WHO)-clinical criteria,were studied. Results: Four hundred and nineteen patients with stroke were hospitalizedduring the study period; thisaccounted for 3.1% of all the medical admissions. The mean age was 62.4 ± 13.6 years. There were 222 (53%) males and 197(47.0%) females. Ischaemic stroke occurred among 71% of cases; others included intra-cerebral haemorrhage (26%)andsubarachnoid haemorrhage (3.1%). The main presenting features includedhemiparesis (69%) and sudden loss of consciousness (27.2%). The risk factors included hypertension (84%)and diabetes mellitus (12.2%). The 7, 14 and 30 days case fatality rates were 21.2%, 25.5% and 30.8% respectively. A higher case fatality rate was recordedin haemorrhagic stroke compared to ischaemic stroke (68.8% vs24%, p =0.0001).Conclusion:Stroke was a significant cause of mortality amongst medical admissions and hypertension was the most common risk factor. Closer attention to the risk factors for stroke may likely help to reduce the burden of stroke

A retrospective analysis of time delays in patients presenting with stroke to an academic emergency department

Background: Stroke presents commonly to the emergency department (ED), and is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in South Africa. Early ED presentation and early neuroimaging are required in order for thrombolysis to be a potential therapeutic modality. Objectives: To determine the time to ED presentation, time to computed tomography (CT) scan and the potential influencing factors for patients with stroke. Methods: A retrospective record review of all patients who presented with clinical features of stroke to a tertiary academic ED in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 01 January to 31 December 2014. Results: Data from 232 eligible stroke patients were analysed. The median time to presentation to the ED was 33 h with the majority of patients (81.3%) presenting after the 4.5 h window for thrombolysis. The median time to CT was 8 h. Only 3.9% of patients had a CT scan within one hour of arrival. Patients with loss of consciousness were associated with earlier hospital presentation (p = 0.001). None of the patients were thrombolysed. Conclusion: Patients with stroke commonly present late to hospital. If we are to make a difference in this group of vulnerable patients, further education and training needs to be emphasised regarding 'time is brain'. Communication and commitment is also required by the emergency medical services, ED and radiology staff in order to prioritise stroke patients and to reduce delays

Ischemic Stroke and Neuroprotection

Stroke is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in both developed and developing countries of the world. Greater understanding of the pathophysiology of neuronal damage in ischemic stroke has generated interest in neuroprotection as a management strategy. This paper aims to review the current concept and place of neuroprotection in ischemic stroke. An extensive search of all materials related to the topic was made using library sources including Pubmed and Medline searches. Current research findings were also included. The findings are as presented. Neuroprotection is an increasingly recognized management strategy in ischemic stroke that promises to assist clinicians in reducing stroke mortality rates and improving the quality of life of survivors

Morbi-mortalite des accidents vasculaires cerebraux hemorragiques apres prise en charge en reanimation a Djibouti

Les donnees prospectives sur la prise en charge et l'evolution des accidents vasculaires cerebraux (AVC) en Afrique sont pauvres. Le but de ce travail etait de decrire les aspects epidemiologiques; cliniques et e volutifs d'une serie d'AVC hemorragiques a Djibouti. Une etude prospective descriptive a ete realisee pendant 18 mois de tous les patients admis dans le service de reanimation du Groupement Medico-Chirurgical Bouffard pour hemorragie cerebrale diagnostiquee par scanner cerebral. Dix-huit patients dont seize hommes ont ete inclus. L'agemedian etait de 51;5 ans [20-72]. La duree mediane de sejour en reanimation etait de 3 jours [1-38]. Le score de Glasgow moyen a l'entree etait de 9 [3-14]. Cinq patients ont beeeficie d'unee evacuation sanitaire aerienne. Les principaux facteurs de risque retrouvse etaient l'hypertension arterielle (HTA); le tabagisme et la consommation reguliere de Khat. Dix patients (55;5) ont beneficie de ventilation artificielle avec une survie de 40. La mortalite en reanimation etait de 33; la mortalite hospitaliere a 1mois de 39et la mortalite a 6 mois et 1 an de 44;4. La survie a un an des patients ayant un Glasgow . 7 a l'entree etait de 33. L'hypertension arterielle; le khat; et le tabagisme apparaissent comme des facteurs de risque importants pour les hommes djiboutiens. Les mesures medicales de neuroreanimation permettent d'obtenir des taux de mortalite hospitaliere proches de ceux des pays occidentaux. Le pronostic fonctionnel apparait bon pour les survivants autochtones malgre l'absence de reeducation fonctionnelle. Ces donnees plaident contre la passivite et le fatalisme dans la prise en charge en reanimation des hemorragies cerebrales; et pour la prevention primaire en luttant contre les facteurs de risque cardio-vasculaires

Accident vasculaires cerebraux chez le sujet jeune (15 a 45 ans) dans le service de neurologie du CHU campus de Lome

Introduction En Afrique subsaharienne les accidents vasculaires cerebraux (AVC) representent la troisieme cause de mortalite et la premiere cause d'incapacite motrice dans les grands centres de neurologie. Ils surviennent souvent chez des sujets de plus de 50 ans. L'OMS a note que le nombre de deces chez les adultes jeunes (15-45 ans) est relativement eleve dans les pays en voie de developpement : plus de 30contre 20dans les pays riches. Objectif Notre travail avait pour buts d'etudier la frequence; la morbidite; la mortalite des AVC et d'identifier leurs facteurs de risque chez les adultes jeunes dans le service de neurologie a Lome. Methode Il s'etait agi d'une etude transversale prospective realisee entre le 1er Janvier 1998 et le 31 Decembre 2007 chez des patients hospitalises; ages de 15 a 45 ans; sur des arguments cliniques et tomodensitometriques. Resultats Sur les 3976 patients hospitalises; 1309 presentaient un AVC (32; 9). Parmi eux 141 etaient ages de 15 a 45 ans (10;8des AVC et 3;5des hospitalisations). Le deficit hemi corporel (51;1); les troubles de la conscience (48;2) et du langage (21;3) etaient les principaux motifs d'hospitalisation. L'hypertension arterielle (HTA) etait observee dans 102 cas (72;3). Le taux de mortalite globale etait de 21(18;8pour ceux victimes d'AVC ischemique contre 24;3pour les AVC hemorragiques). Conclusion L'HTA represente le principal facteur de risque des AVC chez les sujets jeunes. Son depistage et sa prise en charge devraient etre precoces