Stroke about very elderly patients in West African Country (Niger): Prognosis risk factors

Background: Chronic diseases such as stroke most frequently occur on old people while literature on prognosis risk factors on elderly is rare particularly Sub-Sahara Africa. The aim of the study is to determine prognosis risk factors of stroke on elderly patients.
Method: It was a prospective cohort study carried out during 6 months that included elderly patients over 70 years old admitted in two tertiary medical emergency departments.
Results: 56 patients with mean age 75.2 ± 5.17 showed moderate NIHSS score (59%) without gender predominance. 75% of patients with a severe score were in the 70-79 years old group. Functional dependency (93%) increased with the NIHSS score severity and 50% of patients with a moderate NIHSS score showed normal nutritional status unlike patients with a severe NIHSS score and depression for most of the cases. Mortality was frequent for patients with hemorrhagic stroke with swallowing disorder and a severe NIHSS score.
Conclusion: Stroke on very elderly patients appears moderate with mortality chances increasing according to the severity of the NIHSS score, swallowing disorders that require a multidisciplinary approach in a neurovascular unit.