Document Type
Article
Department
Internal Medicine (East Africa)
Abstract
Background: Every minute, six indigenous Africans develop new strokes. Patient-level and system-level contributors to early stroke fatality in this region are yet to be delineated. We aimed to identify and quantify the contributions of patient-level and system-level determinants of inpatient stroke fatality across 16 hospitals in Ghana and Nigeria.
Methods: The Stroke Investigative Research and Educational Network (SIREN) is a multicentre study involving 16 sites in Ghana and Nigeria. Cases include adults (aged ≥18 years) with clinical and radiological evidence of an acute stroke. Data on stroke services and resources available at each study site were collected and analysed as system-level factors. A host of demographic and clinical variables of cases were analysed as patient-level factors. A mixed effect log- binomial model including both patient-level and system-level covariates was fitted. Results are presented as adjusted risk ratios (aRRs) with respective 95% CIs.
Findings: Overall, 814 (21·8%) of the 3739 patients admitted with stroke died as inpatients: 476 (18·1%) of 2635 with ischaemic stroke and 338 (30·6%) of 1104 with intracerebral haemorrhage. The variability in the odds of stroke fatality that could be attributed to the system-level factors across study sites assessed using model intracluster correlation coefficient was substantial at 7·3% (above a 5% threshold). Stroke units were available at only five of 16 centres. The aRRs of six patient-level factors associated with stroke fatality were: low vegetable consumption, 1·19 (95% CI 1·07–1·33); systolic blood pressure, 1·02 (1·01–1·04) for each 10 mm Hg rise; stroke lesion volume more than 30 cm³, 1·48 (1·22–1·79); National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, 1·20 (1·13–1·26) for each 5-unit rise; elevated intracranial pressure, 1·75 (1·31–2·33); and aspiration pneumonia, 1·79 (1·16–2·77).
Interpretation: Studies are needed to assess the efficacy of interventions targeting patient-level factors such as aspiration pneumonia in reducing acute stroke fatality in this region. Policy directives to improve stroke unit access are warranted.
Publication (Name of Journal)
The Lancet Global Health
Recommended Citation
Sarfo, F. S.,
Akpa, O. M.,
Ovbiagele, B.,
Akpalu, A.,
Wahab, K.,
Obiako, R.,
Komolafe, M.,
Owolabi, L.,
Ogbole, G.,
Adebayo, P.
(2023). Patient-level and system-level determinants of stroke fatality across 16 large hospitals in Ghana and Nigeria: a prospective cohort study. The Lancet Global Health, 1-11.
Available at:
https://ecommons.aku.edu/eastafrica_fhs_mc_intern_med/319
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