Neurologic sickness in Zambia: A neurointensivist’s expertise.
J Neurol Sci. 2018 Feb 15;385:140-143
Authors: Brown MW, Foy KE, Chanda C, Mulundika J, Koralnik IJ, Siddiqi OK
Summary
INTRODUCTION: Administration of critically sick sufferers in devoted intensive care models (ICUs) is the usual of care in excessive revenue nations (HICs), however stays unusual in low and middle-income nations (LMICs). We sought to find out the prevalence of neurologic issues within the ICU of a LMIC and look at if useful resource acceptable specialised neurocritical care coaching may benefit these sufferers.
METHODS: From February to March 2017, a skilled neurocritical care intensivist recorded encounters within the sole ICU on the College Instructing Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka, Zambia. We stratified every affected person by demographics, presence of major or secondary neurologic deficit, comorbidities, and end result.
RESULTS: Of the 33 sufferers seen throughout this era, 26 (78.eight%) had a neurologic deficit. An equal variety of sufferers carried a major neurologic prognosis (13) versus a secondary neurologic prognosis (13). Major neurologic issues included spinal twine harm/tumor/abscess, intracranial hemorrhage, Guillain-Barre syndrome, and traumatic mind harm.
CONCLUSIONS: Over three-quarters of critically sick sufferers within the commentary interval carried a neurologic prognosis. Future analysis ought to purpose to establish if useful resource acceptable neurocritical care coaching of frontline suppliers might result in improved scientific outcomes.
PMID: 29406894 [PubMed – in process]