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Updated: Nov 8, 2025
A Thrombotic Stroke Model Based On Transient Cerebral Hypoxia-ischemia
Published on: August 18, 2015
Systemic disorders and the prognosis of stroke in Congolese patients: a cross-sectional study
Marc Tshilanda1,2,3, Ulrick S Kanmounye4, Remy Kapongo1,3
1Department of Internal Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Mère-Enfant (CHME) Monkole, Kinshasa DR Congo.
Insights
Systemic disorders like arterial hypotension and fever significantly increase stroke mortality in Congo. Early identification and management of these conditions are crucial for improving patient outcomes in stroke care.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Stroke is a major cause of death, disability, and dementia, particularly in developing nations.
- High mortality rates associated with stroke underscore the need for research into contributing factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate systemic disorders linked to mortality in patients admitted for stroke within 72 hours.
- To identify specific conditions that worsen prognosis in stroke patients.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving a retrospective review of 114 stroke patient records from January 2016 to December 2018 at a tertiary hospital in Kinshasa.
- Statistical analysis included Pearson-Chi square tests and odds ratios to determine the significance of various factors (p < 0.05).
Main Results:
- The most common comorbidities were hypertension (76.3%), dyslipidemia (71.1%), and diabetes mellitus (58.8%).
- Prevalent conditions during admission included hypoxia (85.9%), hypertension (82.4%), hyperglycemia (57.8%), and fever (28.1%).
- Arterial hypotension (OR=3.87) and fever (OR=1.56) were identified as systemic disorders with the worst prognosis, significantly associated with increased mortality.
Conclusions:
- Arterial hypotension and fever are critical factors adversely impacting stroke patient outcomes.
- Stroke contributes significantly to high mortality rates in the Congo, necessitating targeted interventions.
Objectives:
Stroke is one of the leading causes of death, disability, and dementia in developing countries. Our study aimed to evaluate the systemic disorders associated with mortality in patients admitted within 72 hours of the initial stroke event.
Setting:
The study took place at a tertiary hospital in Kinshasa.
Participants:
Patients admitted within 72 hours of the initial stroke event.
Interventions:
This cross-sectional study consisted of a retrospective review of stroke patient records from January 2016 to December 2018. The Pearson-Chi square test and odds ratios were calculated with a threshold of significance of 0.05.
Main Outcome Measures:
Mortality.
Results:
We recruited 114 cases. The mean age was 61.8 ± 2.4 years, and the sex ratio was 1.78 in favor of men. Hypertension (76.3%), dyslipidemia (71.1%), and diabetes mellitus (58.8%) were the most frequent comorbidities. Most patients had hypoxia (85.9%), hypertension (82.4%), hyperglycemia (57.8%), and fever (28.1%). We registered thirty-two deaths (28.1%): 20 (62.5%) from the ischemic strokes, and 12 (37.5%) from hemorrhagic strokes. Systemic disorders with the worst prognosis during were arterial hypotension (OR=3.87, p >0.001), and fever (OR =1.56, p = 0.047).
Conclusion:
Arterial hypotension and fever adversely affect stroke patient outcomes, and strokes are responsible for high mortality in Congo.
Funding:
Not applicable.
