Frequency and Factors Associated with Orthostatic Hypotension in Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease: A Case-Control Observational Study

BACKGROUND: Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is a common and considered the most incapacitating non-motor symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Little is known about OH in Ethiopian PD patients. The objectives of the present study were to determine the frequency and factors associated with OH in individuals diagnosed with PD compared to a healthy control. Methods: A multi-center case-control observational study was conducted. A total of 53 PD cases and 53 age and sex matched healthy controls were included. Both descriptive and Chi-square proportional statistical analysis were used. RESULTS: The mean age distribution was comparable between the two study groups (61.9 vs. 59.9 years). Distribution of male gender was comparable between PD and control groups (71.7% vs. 67.9%). Nearly all the individuals diagnosed with PD were on levodopa treatment, and close to half of them were on anticholinergic drugs. Hypertension was the commonest comorbid disorder in both groups. The prevalence of orthostatic hypotension was higher in PD patients (22.6%) compared to the control group (9.4%). The proportion of constipation (p=0.007), urinary urgency (p=0.007), and nocturia (p<0.0001) was significantly higher among Parkinson’s disease patients compared to the healthy control group. Falls and excessive sweating were only reported by PD patients. CONCLUSION: The present study shows the frequency of orthostatic hypotension in Ethiopian Parkinson’s disease patients is comparable to other regions. The presence of constipation, urinary urgency, and nocturia was associated with Parkinson’s disease compared to the control group

Bilateral subdural hematoma a rare complication of common procedure in 30-year-old female patient: A case report and literature review

Background: Lumbar puncture (LP) is a frequent procedure done for administration of spinal anesthesia or for obtaining cerebrospinal fluid for analysis. The common complications of LP are pain at the local site and post LP headache. Rarely the following complication could occur: infections of central nervous system, brain stem herniation, and subdural hematoma. Post LP hematoma needs to be suspected in those patients whom post LP conservative management failed and headache lasts more than one week.Case presentation: We report a 30-year-old, Ethiopian woman who present with bilateral subdural hematoma following lumbar puncture for spinal anaesthesia. She presented with three weeks history of persistent headache, nausea and vomiting. The symptoms started three days following spinal anaesthesia procedure done for cesarean section.Conclusion: Post-dural puncture headache is the commonest benign complication of lumbar puncture. However, change in character of headache, absence of response to routine measures, development of neurological signs, and persistence of headache beyond one week should prompt physicians to consider rare and fatal complications of post-dural puncture such as subdural hematoma. Moreover, timely diagnosis and management is often associated with good prognosis. French title: Hematome sous dural bilateral secondaire a une ponction lombaire   Introduction: La ponction lombaire (PL) est une procédure fréquente effectuée pour l'administration de l'anesthésie rachidienne ou pour obtenir du liquide céphalo-rachidien pour analyse. Les complications courantes de la PL sont la douleur au site local et la céphalée post PL. Les complications suivantes sont plus rares : infections du système nerveux central, engagement du tronc cérébral et hématome sous-dural. Un hématome post PL doit être suspecté chez les patients dont la prise en charge conservatrice du syndrome post PL a échoué et chez lesquels les maux de tête durent plus d'une semaine. Observation :Nous rapportons le cas d’une femme éthiopienne de 30 ans qui a présenté un hématome sous-dural bilatéral après une ponction lombaire pour une rachianesthésie. Elle avait des antécédents de céphalées persistantes, de nausées et de vomissements pendant trois semaines. Les symptômes ont commencé trois jours après la procédure d'anesthésie rachidienne effectuée pour la césarienne. Conclusion: La céphalée post-PL est la complication bénigne la plus courante de la ponction lombaire. Cependant, la modification du caractère des céphalées, l'absence de réponse aux mesures de routine, le développement de signes neurologiques et la persistance des céphalées au-delà d'une semaine devraient inciter les médecins à envisager des complications rares et mortelles de la PL telles qu'un hématome sous-dural. De plus, un diagnostic et une prise en charge rapides sont souvent associés à un bon pronostic. &nbsp

The frequency and impact of admission hyperglycemia on short term outcome of acute stroke patients admitted to Tikur Anbessa Specialized hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

Background: Admission hyperglycemia (HG) has been associated with worse outcomes among acute stroke patients. A better understanding and awareness of the potentially adverse influence of hyperglycemia on the clinical outcome of acute stroke patients would help to provide guidance for acute stroke management and prevention of its adverse outcomes. We aimed to assess the frequency of admission hyperglycemia and its impact on short term (30-days) morbidity and mortality outcomes of stroke in adult Ethiopian patients in an urban setting. Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted among acute stroke patients admitted to Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH), within 72 h of symptom onset, from July to December 2016. Socio-demographic data, neuroimaging findings and capillary blood glucose values were obtained on admission. Hyperglycemia was defined as > 140 mg/dl. National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) were used to assess the baseline stroke severity and the 30-days post-stroke outcome, respectively. Results: A total of 103 first-ever acute stroke patients were included (mean age = 55.5 + 15.3 years, 64.1% male and 65% under the age of 65 years) and 51 (49.5%) were hyperglycemic at time of admission. The median admission NIHSS score was worse in the hyperglycemic patients 14 (IQR 10–19) compared to normoglycemic patients 11 (IQR 8–15). Among stroke survivors, patients with hyperglycemia were 3.83 times (95% CI, 1.99–6.19) more likely to be functionally impaired (mRS = 3–5) at 30-days compared to normoglycemic patients (P = 0.041).Older age (≥ 65 years) (P = 0.017) and stroke severity (NIHSS > 14) (P = 0.006) at admission were both significantly associated with poor functional recovery at 30-day. Among patients who died at 30-day, two-third (66.7%) were hyperglycemic but they failed to show any significant association. Conclusions: Hyperglycemia is prevalent among Ethiopian stroke patients at the time of presentation and it is associated with significantly poor functional recovery at 30th-day of follow up. This finding provides a rationale for achieving normal blood glucose in the course of acute stroke management which could have a favorable impact on the neurological outcome and quality of life for patients.publishedVersio

Non-Motor Symptoms and Associated Factors in Parkinson’s Disease Patients in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Non-motor symptoms (NMSs) of Parkinson’s disease (PD) were often overlooked and less studied. Little is known about NMSs in Ethiopia. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of NMSs and associated factors.METHODS: A multi-center cross-sectional observational study was conducted. NMS questionnaire was used to screen for the NMSs. Both descriptive and analytical statistics were used to analyze the data.RESULTS: Total of 123 PD patients with median of 4 years were investigated. The mean age of PD patients was 62.9 years. The mean age of PD onset was 58.3 years. In 23.6% the age of onset was below age 50. Males accounted 72.4%. Majority of the patients were on Levodopa alone and 31.7% were on levodopa plus trihexyphenidyl. Longer duration of illness was associated with frequent occurrence of NMSs. Constipation was the commonest NMS (78%), followed by urinary urgency (67.5%) and nocturia (63.4%). An unexplained pain was reported by 45.5%, cognitive impairment (45.5%), and sleep disturbance was reported by 45.5% of the study participants. Neurophysciatric symptoms were reported by small proportion of the patients. Lower monthly earning was associated with swallowing problem, unexplained weight change, and lighheadness.CONCLUSION: The prevalence of NMS was high among PD patients in Ethiopia. Constipation was the commonest NMS. Longer duration of illness was associated with frequent occurrence of NMSs. Lower monthly earning was associated with swallowing problem, unexplained weight change, and lighheadness

Electroencephalographic Findings, Antiepileptic Drugs and Risk Factors of 433 Individuals Referred to a Tertiary Care Hospital in Ethiopia

Background: Little is known about the characteristics of electroencephalogram (EEG) findings in epileptic patients in Ethiopia. The objective of this  study was to characterize the EEG patterns, indications, antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), and epilepsy risk factors.Methods: A retrospective observational review of EEG test records of 433 patients referred to our electrophysiology unit between July 01, 2020 and  December 31, 2021.Results: The age distribution in the study participants was right skewed unipolar age distribution for both sexes and the mean age of 33.8 (SD=15.7) years. Male accounted for 51.7%. Generalized tonic clonic seizure was the most common seizure type. The commonest indication for EEG was  abnormal body movement with loss of consciousness (35.2%). Abnormal EEG findings were observed in 55.2%; more than half of them were Interictal epileptiform discharges, followed by focal/or generalized slowing. Phenobarbitone was the commonest AEDs. A quarter (20.1%) of the  patients were getting a combination of two AEDs and 5.2% were on 3 different AEDs. Individuals taking the older AEDs and those on 2 or more AEDs  tended to have abnormal EEG findings. A cerebrovascular disorder (27.4%) is the prevalent risk factor identified followed by brain tumor, HIV  infection, and traumatic head injury respectively.Conclusion: High burden of abnormal EEG findings among epileptic patients referred to our unit. The proportion of abnormal EEG patterns was  higher in patients taking older generation AEDs and in those on 2 or more AEDs. Stroke, brain tumor, HIV infection and traumatic head injury were  the commonest identified epilepsy risk factors

High Prevalence of Poststroke Depression in Ischemic Stroke Patients in Ethiopia

Background. There is limited information and research carried out regarding the prevalence of poststroke depression (PSD) in the study area. Psychiatric disorders complicate a significant proportion of patients suffering from stroke. This of course have a great negative impact on our knowledge about poststroke depression in Ethiopia, and poststroke depression complicates a significant number of stroke patients and their rehabilitation. Methods. A cross-sectional study on all patients aged above 18 years and diagnosed with stroke in the past two years who attended the neurology follow-up clinics of Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH) and Zewditu Memorial Hospital (ZMH) was done by using a structured questionnaire containing Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) depression screening tool. Result. Of 84 patients who were eligible for the study, 32.2% of patients have depressive symptoms. Women (OR 0.001, 95% CI 0.12–0.87) and aphasic patients (OR 0.034, 95% CI 0.19–1.27) were more likely to have depressive symptoms. Conclusion. Depressive symptoms after stroke are common in Ethiopian patients. Our study demonstrates female and aphasic patients are more likely to screen positive for PSD. Hence, screening all poststroke patients with different screening tools is practical, and further studies are needed to assess the validity of these screening tools and also to assess PSD as a predictor of stroke outcome

Early onset peak-dose L-dopa induced dyskinesia in 55-year-old Ethiopian Parkinson’s disease patient

A case study of a 55-year-old newly diagnosed Parkinson’s disease patient naïve to L-dopa, who develop disabling early onset L-dopa induced dyskinesia (LID), which occurs immediately following L-dopa administration is presented. It is recommend to start with low dose L-dopa and to escalate slowly to avoid L-dopa included dyskinesia in dopamine naïve Parkinson’s disease patients.Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, L-dopa, peak-dose induced dyskinesia, 55-year-old male, Ethiopia

Severe hypokalemia mimicking Guillain-Barré Syndrome in 42-years-old Ethiopian patient: case report

Acute neuromuscular paralysis is one of the common neurological emergencies, of which Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) remains the most common cause. This syndrome presents with acute ascending muscle weakness and loss of deep tendon reflexes (DTR), often preceded by distal paresthesia and back pain. However, a severe hypokalemia may have a similar presentation and put the treating physician in dilemma.We report a 42-year-old previously healthy man, who presented with acute areflexic ascending quadriparesis associated with impending respiratory failure. This followed a one day history of frequent diarrhea, vomiting and low grade fever. A provisional diagnosis of GBS was given by the treating physician and the patient was intubated for ventilatory support. A few hours later the serum potassium and magnesium were reported to be very low, so the patient was given parenteral potassium chloride (KCl), later supplemented with magnesium. Following KCl infusion, the patient’s neurologic and respiratory conditions improved dramatically and he was extubated .Despite continued KCL infusion; however, the patient suddenly sustained cardiac arrest and expired, which is attributable to multiple electrolyte disturbance especially low potassium and low magnesium, it’s important to bear in mind that in 5% of the cases GBS is associated with autonomic dysfunction.Even though severe hypokalemia related muscle weakness reported rarely, it is a potentially treatable and correctable cause of neuromuscular weakness. Therefore treating physician should have this in mind whenever faced with such acute areflexic ascending weakness associated with hypokalemia, especially in resource limited setup like Ethiopia, where it’s difficult to have comprehensive emergency work up for such patients to differentiate possible causes of acute generalized weakness.Keywords: Cardiac arrest, Guillain-Barre syndrome, Hypokalemia, Hypomagnesemi

The frequency and impact of admission hyperglycemia on short term outcome of acute stroke patients admitted to Tikur Anbessa Specialized hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

Background: Admission hyperglycemia (HG) has been associated with worse outcomes among acute stroke patients. A better understanding and awareness of the potentially adverse influence of hyperglycemia on the clinical outcome of acute stroke patients would help to provide guidance for acute stroke management and prevention of its adverse outcomes. We aimed to assess the frequency of admission hyperglycemia and its impact on short term (30-days) morbidity and mortality outcomes of stroke in adult Ethiopian patients in an urban setting. Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted among acute stroke patients admitted to Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH), within 72 h of symptom onset, from July to December 2016. Socio-demographic data, neuroimaging findings and capillary blood glucose values were obtained on admission. Hyperglycemia was defined as > 140 mg/dl. National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) were used to assess the baseline stroke severity and the 30-days post-stroke outcome, respectively. Results: A total of 103 first-ever acute stroke patients were included (mean age = 55.5 + 15.3 years, 64.1% male and 65% under the age of 65 years) and 51 (49.5%) were hyperglycemic at time of admission. The median admission NIHSS score was worse in the hyperglycemic patients 14 (IQR 10–19) compared to normoglycemic patients 11 (IQR 8–15). Among stroke survivors, patients with hyperglycemia were 3.83 times (95% CI, 1.99–6.19) more likely to be functionally impaired (mRS = 3–5) at 30-days compared to normoglycemic patients (P = 0.041).Older age (≥ 65 years) (P = 0.017) and stroke severity (NIHSS > 14) (P = 0.006) at admission were both significantly associated with poor functional recovery at 30-day. Among patients who died at 30-day, two-third (66.7%) were hyperglycemic but they failed to show any significant association. Conclusions: Hyperglycemia is prevalent among Ethiopian stroke patients at the time of presentation and it is associated with significantly poor functional recovery at 30th-day of follow up. This finding provides a rationale for achieving normal blood glucose in the course of acute stroke management which could have a favorable impact on the neurological outcome and quality of life for patients