Mortalité par Accident Vasculaire Cérébral et ses Déterminants dans un Hôpital de Référence de Douala (Cameroun) Stroke mortality and its determinants in a tertiary care Hospital at Douala (Cameroon)

BACKGROUND. Stroke is reported to be the third cause of death worldwide. Many studies have showed that their case-fatality rate is very high, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. There have been few studies on stroke mortality and its determinants in Cameroon. This study examines the vital and functional prognosis of stroke and its determinants in a tertiary care hospital in Cameroon. METHODOLOGY. A prospective study was carried out for six months at the Douala Laquintinie Hospital. Patients with a diagnosis of stroke, with CT-Scan confirmation were recruited and followed up during hospitalization, at one and three months. The deaths and predictors were recorded. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of mortality. RESULTS. Mean age of the 120 patients (53% male) was 60.5 ± 12.78 years. The case fatality rate was 26.7% at one month and 31.7% at 3 months. On multivariate analysis, the predictors of mortality were Glasgow coma scale less than 8/15 (P = 0.001), a modified Rankin score greater than 5 (P = 0.001), a white blood cell count greater than 10,000 / mm3 (P = 0.004) and a pneumonia (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION. Despite the young age of our patients, the case fatality rate was very high. Predictors of mortality were co-morbid conditions that can easily be treated if well-diagnosed.