Point prevalence study for stroke in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional survey

Abstract

Background: Stroke, a cerebrovascular disease, is the second-most common cause of mortality worldwide while it ranks third among other causes of disability. The incidence of stroke in the Middle East is even higher than in developed countries. Despite the increasing disease burden, presently, there is only one established acute stroke unit at King Fahad Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Objective: The objective of the study is to assess the number of stroke patients admitted to different units in all hospitals across Riyadh city at one point of time. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 30 hospitals distributed across Riyadh in 2016 and included newly diagnosed stroke patients. Data were extracted using case report forms depicting all patient data collected during admission to the specified hospital wards. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the quantitative and categorical variables. Results: Of the total of 30 hospitals invited to participate, only 3 (10%) hospitals agreed to participate. A total of 33 stroke patients were admitted to these hospitals, majority (27 [81.8%]) were admitted to internal medicine, 5 (15.2%) to surgery, and 1 (3%) to a neurosurgery unit. The prevalence of stroke among patients with age groups of 51–60, 61–70, and >80 years was higher in men than women. Conclusion: More epidemiological studies on stroke need to be conducted in different regions of the Middle East for effective planning and management. Further, other key areas to be improved include the development of wellequipped and trained health-care providers, collaboration of a multidisciplinary team, and raising public awareness.

Keywords

• Middle East
• point prevalence
• Saudi Arabia
• stroke
• stroke units