TIME OF PRESENTATION OF STROKE PATIENTS FOR CT IMAGING IN A NIGERIAN TERTIARY HOSPITAL

BACKGROUND: Neuroimaging is the cornerstone for guiding thrombolytic and interventional therapy for stroke. Beneficial outcome can only be obtained within a rather short time of less than 3-4.5 hours of symptom onset. Challenges in developing countries like Nigeria often lead to delayed presentation of stroke patients in hospitals. We sought to study the time and pattern of presentation of stroke patients for CT imaging in a Nigerian tertiary hospital. METHODS: Of the 271 stroke patients who had cranial CT between 2008 and 2010, eighty-three (30.6%) with full retrievable CT records, were included in this study. They were categorized into six time groups cross-tabulated with their CT findings. RESULTS: Forty-two patients (50.6%) had cerebral infarction while 23 (27.7%) had haemorrhagic stroke. However, 18 (21.7%) patients had apparently normal CT findings. The mean presentation time for CT imaging was 70 hours (SD ±94 hours). Only 31% of all stroke patients presented for CT imaging within 12 hours, and none, within 3 hours. Forty-six percent did not present within 24 hours of symptom onset. Significantly more patients with ischemic stroke (72.3%) than hemorrhagic stroke (27.7%) presented after 12 hours of ictus (X(2) = 4.027 d=1, P =0.045). Age (X(2)=0.008, P =0.931) and gender (X(2)1.742, d=1,P =0.187) had no statistically significant relationship with the time of presentation for CT imaging. CONCLUSION: None of our patients met the time criteria for thrombolytic therapy. Ischemic stroke patients presented for imaging later than patients with intracerebral haemorrhage. There is a need to increase the awareness regarding early recognition, presentation and diagnosis of stroke for timely intervention in Nigeria.