Touré K.1, 3*, Sarr M.1, Soumah D.3, Sow A.3, Basse/Faye A.3, Diagne N.S.3, Ndao A.K.3, Diop/Sene M.3, Seck L.B.3, Ndiaye M.3, Diop A.G.3, Tal Dia A.2, Ndiaye M.M.3
1Department of Health Sciences, University of Thies, Senegal.
2Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy and Odontostomatology, Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar-Senegal.
3Department of Neurology, Fann Teaching Hospital, Dakar-Senegal.
Abstract
Brainstem haemorrhage is a low but lethal health condition and few studies have been conducted about it in Africa. The objective of this study was to assess the epidemiology of brainstem haemorrhage among patients hospitalized in the Department of Neurology, Fann University, Dakar-Senegal. During a cohort study, patients hospitalized from February to July 2009 for brainstem haemorrhage were followed at days 1, 3, 7, 15 and 90. Sociodemographic characteristics of the patient, medical history, clinical, biological, radiological and prognostic data were collected. In a population of 711 patients, 288 cases of stroke were reported, of which 91 were haemorrhagic. The number of brainstem haemorrhage cases was 10 representing a frequency of 10.98% of the total cases of haemorrhagic stroke and 1.49% of the total population. The patients had a mean age of 54.6 years. They were mostly male (6 cases), admitted for coma (4 cases). Hypertension was the main past medical history (5 cases). The mean time of admission was 26.9 hours. The haemorrhage was mainly located at the pons and peduncle (4 cases) and all the brainstem (3 cases). Lethality rate was 70% with 10% on day 3, 33.3% at day 7, 16.7% at day 15 and 60% at day 90. It is necessary to sensitize the community about the primary prevention of stroke.
Key words: Cerebral haemorrhage, brainstem haemorrhage, epidemiology, stroke, Senegal.
* Correspondence: tourekamadore@yahoo.ca
