Clinical profile of adult stroke patients in Angola: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, and the greatest burden of this disease has been observed in low- and middle-income countries, which continue to face several challenges in stroke care. The objective of this study was to identify the clinical profile of Angolan stroke patients in a tertiary hospital in Luanda. A cross-sectional investigation was conducted at Clínica Sagrada Esperança in Angola a tertiary center, on stroke patients admitted to the neurology service. Data was collected from November 2022 to March 2023. We included all patients who were admitted to the emergency department. Patients under 18 years of age, who had a previous stroke ≥ 2 score on the modified Rankin scale (mRS), and had brain tumors were excluded. We identified 139 stroke patients. The mean age was 59.5 ± 13.5 years, most were male (65.5%). The ischemic stroke was the most prevalent subtype (73.4%). The mean length of stay was 8.3 ± 4.7 days. Higher mRS scores at discharge were associated with complications (p < 0.001) and prolonged hospitalization (p = 0.001). The most frequent risk factors were hypertension (96.5%), alcohol use (67.4%), and diabetes (29.6%). Our study provides crucial insights into the profile of stroke patients in Angola. The collected data are vital for informing effective preventive measures and improving patient care.