STROKE SUBTYPES, RISK FACTORS AND OUTCOME AT DISCHARG OF STROKE PATIENTS ADMITTED TO TIKUR ANBESSA SPECIALIZED HOSPITAL AND ZEWDITU MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Background: Stroke is the second leading cause of death and adult disability worldwide. A better understanding of stroke risk factors, subtypes and outcome may help guide the efforts at reducing the complication and community burden of stroke. This study aimed to understand stroke risk factors, imaging subtypes, and outcome at discharge among patients admitted to Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital and Zewditu Memorial Hospital during the study period. Materials and patients: A total of 115 patients were admitted with diagnosis of stroke, of whom 69 (60%) were males, thereby giving a male to female ratio of 1.5:1, to Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital and Zewditu Memorial Hospital Medical Wards after CT or MRI was done from November, 2014 to March31, 2015. Assessment of clinical and laboratory variables, as well as brain computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and carotid Doppler ultrasound studies were done accordingly. Outcome of the patients at discharge was also assessed. Results: Of 115 patients studied, 69 (60%) were males. Age at presentation (mean ± standard deviation) was 51.4 ± 12.8 years in males and 47.9.9 ± 14.6 years in females (P = 0.039) Neuroimaging was obtained in all patients, revealing cerebral infarction (37%), intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) (59%), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) (4%). Doppler study was done only for few patients (only for 8 patients with the diagnosis of ischemic stroke=19.04% of the patients) and carotid stenosis was detected in 8% of patients with cerebral infarction. The commonest risk factors identified in this study is hypertension accounting for 43.5%, and Diabetes is the second most common risk factor among our patients involved in the study accounting for 15.7%, Hyperchlostrlemia (10.4%), Atrial Fibrilation (8.7%), and Cigarette smoking (3.2%), HIV infection (1.7%), and Chat chewing (2.5%) were also among identified risk factors . Conclusion: Intracerebral hemorrhage was found to be the predominant stroke subtype in this study. This could be due to the fact that hypertension also the commonest risk factor identified. SAH was associated with the highest in hospital mortality of 2 (40%). In many patients the risk factors were detected only after a patient experienced stroke attack and admitted to wards