Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients with COVID-19 Infection and Acute Ischemic Stroke at Eka Kotebe General Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Background: Acute ischemic stroke has been reported to occur in a significantly higher number of COVID-19 patients as compared to healthy controls with variable proposed pathophysiologic mechanisms. To our knowledge, sufficient data regarding this subject is lacking in Ethiopia and the African continent at large. In this case series, we report the clinical characteristics and management of 5 cases with COVID-19 infection and acute ischemic stroke to shed light on the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in resource-limited setups. Methods: This is a case series including data collected from the medical records of 5 participants with confirmed RT-PCR positive COVID-19 infection and radiologically confirmed acute ischemic stroke, admitted at Eka Kotebe General Hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from June 10, 2020, to November 04, 2020. Results: Cryptogenic stroke was documented in 4/5 participants included in this series with the most common vascular risk factors identified for stroke being hypertension and diabetes mellitus. The median time from onset of COVID-19 symptoms to the identification of stroke was 07 days. Two fifth of the participants in this series died during their ICU admission with the immediate cause of deaths reported to be related to the severe COVID-19 infection but not stroke. Conclusion: Cryptogenic stroke was documented in 4/5 patients in this series despite the presence of vascular risk factors for other stroke subtypes. The overall prevalence, subtypes, and outcomes of stroke in COVID-19 patients in Ethiopia and the African continent as a whole needs additional research to elucidate the local burden of the disease and define the predominant pathophysiologic mechanisms for stroke in COVID-19 in the region.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 infection and acute ischemic stroke at Eka Kotebe general hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Acute ischemic stroke has been reported to occur in a significantly higher number of COVID-19 patients as compared to healthy controls with variable proposed pathophysiologic mechanisms. To our knowledge, sufficient data regarding this subject is lacking in Ethiopia and the African continent at large. In this case series, we report the clinical characteristics and management of 5 cases with COVID-19 infection and acute ischemic stroke to shed light on the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in resource-limited setups. METHODS: This is a case series including data collected from the medical records of 5 participants with confirmed RT-PCR positive COVID-19 infection and radiologically confirmed acute ischemic stroke, admitted at Eka Kotebe General Hospital Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from June 10, 2020, to November 04, 2020. RESULTS: Cryptogenic stroke was documented in 4/5 participants included in this series with the most common vascular risk factors identified for stroke being hypertension and diabetes mellitus. The median time from onset of COVID-19 symptoms to the identification of stroke was 07 days. Two fifth of the participants in this series died during their ICU admission with the immediate cause of deaths reported to be related to the severe COVID-19 infection but not stroke. CONCLUSION: Cryptogenic stroke was documented in 4/5 patients in this series despite the presence of vascular risk factors for other stroke subtypes. The overall prevalence, subtypes, and outcomes of stroke in COVID-19 patients in Ethiopia and the African continent as a whole needs additional research to elucidate the local burden of the disease and define the predominant pathophysiologic mechanisms for stroke in COVID-19 in the region

Patient satisfaction with outpatient neurology services: a momentum for improvement.

BACKGROUND: Outcome measures of patient satisfaction are increasingly accepted as an integral component of the overall healthcare quality assessment. AIMS OF STUDY: A survey of the outpatient neurology services in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia was performed to determine the overall patient satisfaction, provide an assessment of current services and form the foundation for improved expansion of neurological care. METHODS: 233 patients were recruited from the Addis Ababa University Teaching Hospital outpatient general neurology clinic by a cross-sectional sample survey design. Data from structured interview and abstraction of medical records were analyzed by SPSS for Windows version 15.0 computer software. Visual analysis of mean satisfaction scores and Spearman's rho correlation coefficients generated priority indices serving to guide expansion of neurology services. RESULTS: 212 patients with mean age of 40.1 and a 1:1M: F ratio completed the survey. The variation of overall patient satisfaction (mean, 70.4; SD, 12.4) was independently predicted by patient clinical outcome expectations and satisfaction on waiting area, overall service of doctor and card room [R(2)=0.305; F (8,195)=10.685, p=0.000]. Mean satisfaction scores for specific dimensions of the outpatient general neurology clinic ranged from 57.2 for waiting time at the clinic to 74.0 for overall service of the guards. Waiting time at the clinic stood first among the top five priority indices. CONCLUSION: This survey demonstrates predictors of overall patient satisfaction with the outpatient neurology services, and delineates priority areas warranting further improvement. It is the first African study on patient satisfaction with neurology services, and provides a guide for neurological or other specialty clinics seeking to improve and expand medical services.

Prevalence and burden of primary headache in Akaki textile mill workers, Ethiopia.

Headache disorders are the most common complaints worldwide. Migraine, tension-type and cluster headaches account for majority of primary headaches and impose a substantial burden on the individual, family or society at large. The burden is immense on workers, women and children in terms of missing work and school days. There are few studies that show relatively lower prevalence of primary headaches in Africa as compared to Europe and America. There might be many reasons for this lower prevalence. The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence and burden of primary headaches among the Akaki textile factory workers, which may provide data for the local and international level toward the campaign of lifting the burden of headache worldwide. The overall 1-year prevalence of all types of primary headaches was found to be 16.4%, and that of migraine was 6.2%. The prevalence of migraine in females was 10.1% while it was 3.7% in males. The prevalence of tension-type headaches was found to be 9.8%. This was 16.3 % in females as compared to 5.7% in males. The burden of the primary headaches in terms of lost workdays, gross under recognition and absence of effective treatment is tremendous. In conclusion, the prevalence of primary headaches in the Akaki textile mill workers is significant, particularly in females, and the burden is massive, in a place of poverty and ignorance. We recommend the availability and administration of specific therapy to the factory workers with primary headaches, and community based well-designed study for the whole nation's rural and urban population.