Articles

<b>Introduction:</b> Stroke is associated with high mortality. It is the main neurological cause of mortality and the most important cause of disability worldwide. In the year 2007, Stroke was the third cause of admission at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, and the number one cause of death. <b>Objective:</b> To determine the probability of survival (case-fatality rates) of stroke patients admitted at the Korle- Bu Teaching Hospital during the period 2007. <b>Method:</b> A Retrospective descriptive study of Surgical/Medical Emergency, SME and the Medical wards admissions and discharges from 1st January 2007 to 31st December, 2007. <b>Results:</b> A total of 250 hospitalized stroke patients were identified, of which 68(27%) were from the SME and 182(72%) from the medical wards. The mean age (SD) was 57.6(14.7) and 52% were males. Case fatality rate was 52% at the SME versus 35% at the Medical wards) whilst the risk of death in males expressed as risk ratio (RR) was 2.1, (95% CI 0.70-5.6) vs. RR=1.3, (95% CI 0.73-2.5) in females and the median survival time was 2days (95% CI 1.5-2.4) versus 7 days (95% CI 6.3-7.6) at the SME and Medical respectively. The type of admission and stroke outcome was significant P=0.01 (95%CI 0.02-0.14). <b>Conclusion:</b> Stroke was associated with high mortality. The risk of dying from stroke was higher at the SME Findings were independent of stroke subtype, stroke onset and any associated co-morbidities.