Objectives:We aim to describe the epidemiological and prognostic characteristics of non valvular atrial fibrillation related stroke. Patients and methods:We retrospectively analyzed data of hospitalized patients from January 1 st 2010 to June 30 th 2012 in the two contiguous departments of cardiology and neurology, at the teaching hospital of Yalgado Ouédraogo, Burkina Faso. Results:We recorded 391 cases of ischaemic stroke. Cardioembolic stroke was observed in 159 patients out of who, non valvular atrial fibrillation accounted for 43.5%. Atrial fibrillation was persistent/permanent in 60 cases (87%). The mean age ± SD was 63.3 ± 14.2 years (extremes: 26-91 years). Hypertension was observed in 85.5% of the cases. The mean CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score was 4.72 ± 1.16. The mean HAS-BLED score was 2.35 ± 0.92 with a low to intermediate bleeding risk score (≤ 2) in 60.9 % of patients. The rate of vitamin K antagonists use was 52%. They were introduced at least a week after stroke onset in 34 cases. A mean follow up of two weeks in hospital noticed haemorrhagic transformation and ischaemic recurrence in respectively 8.7% and 2.9% of the cases. Mortality rate of 21.7% during hospitalization was predicted by large sized cerebral infarction and congestive heart failure (p<0.05). Conclusion:Non valvular atrial fibrillation stroke is associated with in-hospital high mortality and is subject to early recurrence.

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