Profile of Stroke Patients Admitted to Azadi Teaching Hospital in Duhok

Abstract

Background: Stroke remains an outstanding worldwide disease process that results in high mortality and significant mental and physical disabilities. Stroke inflicts profound economic burden on both individual and governmental budgets. Patients and Methods: This study has been designed to describe the profile of stroke patients in our locality. A cross sectional study design with consecutive sampling procedure were used to enroll nine hundred fifty patients who were admitted the Neurology Ward of Azadi General Teaching Hospital in Duhok during the period between January and December 2014. A suitable data sheet was designed to accommodate the relevant patient's data. Patients suspected of having vascular anomalies and / or neoplastic lesions and traumatic cases were excluded. Results: Out of 950 patients, the females were 510 (53.7%) age range 23-105 years (mean 63.9±SD 13.1 years), while the rest were 440 (46.3%) males, age range 25-98 years (mean 65.4±SD 13.1years). The majority of patients 684 (70%) had their ages between 50-79 years. There were 803 (84.5%) ischaemic strokes, while haemorrhagic strokes accounted for 147 (15.5%) of cases. The patients' populations suffering identifiable RFs were as follow: obesity 734 (77.3%), hypertension 568 (59.8%), hyperlipidaemia 235 (24.7%), smoking 191 (20.1%), previous stroke 190 (20%), heart disease 153 (16.1.3%), diabetes mellitus 77 (8.1 %). Although 21 (2.2%) patients had no gross identifiable RFs, however, the rest of patients had one or more apparent risk factors. Regarding outcome during the admission period, 133 (14%) patients had died; mortality rate among ischaemic stroke had been 86/803 (10.7%) while among haemorrhagic stroke 47/147 (32%). Conclusions: The findings in this study show many similarities to other studies worldwide. Although the present study has thrown the light on few common risk factors for stroke, both of modifiable and non-modifiable nature, at a tertiary referral teaching hospital in Duhok City, which includes a multiethnic community, it is recommended that further detailed and well-designed medical and statistical research to be conducted in this community in order to study genetic predisposition to stroke, setup preventive measures, implement proper management protocols aiming at improving the outcome, and directing health authorities planning health services for those surviving the stroke disorder.

Epidemiological Profile of Stroke in Patients Admitted to a Teaching Hospital, in Babil Governorate, Iraq

“…The ischemic type of stroke in this study outnumbered the hemorrhagic type, this agrees with what was reported by [23] who found that (69.4%) of strokes were ischemic. In addition, similar local studies supported this finding [22,24] (Fig. 2).…”

“…In the current study males are predominant, this finding is similar to finding reported by other studies [17][18][19], this may be explained by the fact that the modified risk factors are more among males compared to females such as tobacco smoking, alcohol and illicit drugs use as well as hazardous occupational exposures and the high prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes atherosclerosis and smoking low se-rum vitamin D [19,20], but this result disagrees with other studies [21,22]. The ischemic type of stroke in this study outnumbered the hemorrhagic type, this agrees with what was reported by [23] who found that (69.4%) of strokes were ischemic.…”