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Characteristics of presumed cardioembolic cerebral infarctions Volume 18, issue 10, December 2022

Authors
Service de Neurologie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Joseph Raseta Befelatanana, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar
Correspondance : R. Randrianantoandro Naliniaina

Context

Cardioembolic strokes are serious and associated with high early and late mortality. The objectives of our study was to describe the demographic, clinical, and etiological and CT characteristics of patients diagnosed as presumed cardio embolic stroke.

Method

This is a retrospective, descriptive study carried out in the neurology department of Befelatanana University Hospital for 18 months from January 2018 to June 2019.

Results

One hundred and twenty cases were retained. The average age is 62.45 years with extremes ranging from 25 to 90 years and a predominance of men (sex-ratio at 1.2). Arterial hypertension (hypertension) was found at 69.13 ٪ of cases. The admission mean NIHSS score was 10.90. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the cause of cerebral infarction at 13.30 ٪ of cases. The infarcts are located in multiple territories at 29.20 ٪ of cases and hemorrhagic transformation is observed at 47.50% of cases. The death rate was 5 ٪ and the etiologies remain undetermined in the majority of cases (78.30%). Mainly, the infarcts sit on the carotid territory (60%) and they are multi-territory in 29.20% of cases. Hemorrhagic transformation is observed in 47.50 ٪ of cases.

Conclusion

The profile of cardioembolic cerebral infarctions is increasingly known in Madagascar by the data provided by our study. Its diagnosis remains difficult and requires an exhaustive etiological assessment.