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Published on: January 15, 2017
Stroke Mimics: Experience of a Moroccan Stroke Unit
Naima Chtaou1, Siham Bouchal1, Aouatef E L Midaoui1
1Department of Neurology, Hassan II University Teaching Hospital, Fez, Morocco; Laboratory of Epidemiology, Clinical Research, and Health Community, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah University, Fez, Morocco.
Stroke mimics, conditions mimicking stroke, are frequent (15.6%) and diverse. Seizures and conversion disorder were the most common causes, highlighting the need for accurate diagnosis in emergency settings.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Emergency Medicine
Background:
- Stroke mimics present with acute neurological deficits that resemble actual strokes.
- Accurate identification of stroke mimics is crucial for appropriate patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency and etiological characteristics of stroke mimics at our medical center.
- To analyze the diagnostic patterns and patient demographics associated with stroke mimics.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of the Thrombolysis Alert registry.
- Analysis of patient data including demographics, onset-to-door time, and door-to-imaging time.
Main Results:
- 105 out of 673 patients (15.6%) admitted for suspected stroke were identified as stroke mimics.
- The most common causes of stroke mimics were seizure (28.5%) and conversion disorder (25.7%).
- Mean age of patients with mimics was 66.3 years; onset-to-door time averaged 136.82 minutes.
Conclusions:
- Stroke mimics are a common and complex diagnostic challenge in emergency departments.
- While heterogeneous, stroke mimics do not appear to be harmed by thrombolytic therapy, based on prior studies.
