Stroke in Qatar: a decade of insights from a national registry

Stroke is a major cause of death and disability worldwide and presents a significant burden on healthcare systems. This retrospective study aims to analyze the characteristics and outcomes of stroke patients admitted to Hamad General Hospital (HGH) stroke service in Qatar from January 2014 to July 2022.

The medical records of 15,859 patients admitted during the study period were analyzed. The data collected included patient demographics, stroke types, admission location, procedures performed, mortality rates, and other clinical characteristics.

Of the total cohort, 70.9% were diagnosed with a stroke, and 29.1% were diagnosed with stroke mimics. Of the stroke patients, 85.3% had an ischemic stroke, and 14.7% had a hemorrhagic stroke. Male patients below 65 years old (80.2%) and of South Asian ethnicity (44.6%) were the most affected. The mortality rate was 4.6%, significantly higher for hemorrhagic stroke than ischemic stroke (12.6% vs. 3.2%). Female patients had a higher stroke-related mortality rate than male patients (6.8% vs. 4%). The thrombolysis rate was 9.5%, and the thrombectomy rate was 3.4% of the ischemic stroke cohort. The mean door-to-needle time for thrombolysis was 61.2 minutes, and the mean door-to-groin time for thrombectomy was 170 minutes. Stroke outcomes were good, with 59.3% of patients having favorable outcomes upon discharge (mRS ≤2), which improved to 68.2% 90 days after discharge.

This study provides valuable insights into stroke characteristics and outcomes in Qatar. The findings suggest that stroke mortality rates are low, and favorable long-term disability outcomes are achievable. However, the study identified a higher stroke-related mortality rate among female patients and areas for improvement in thrombolysis and thrombectomy time.