Relative frequencies of neurological disorders in Northwestern Nigeria: A retrospective study

Abstract

Background: Early diagnosis and management of diseases takes a center stage in the control and prevention of chronic debilitating disorders. It also plays a prominent role in ensuring that patients are better equipped on how to deal with the disease burden. One reliable means of achieving this objective is to retrospectively study the frequency of common diseases. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted between January 2010 and December 2014. Relevant data were extracted from patients' case folders. Adjustment to correct for potential biases such as multiple admissions and secondary diagnosis using a covariate on admission data was made to correct for systematic error. Information obtained was analyzed for frequency and distribution. Results: The mean age of the patients was 44.9 years (standard deviation ± 16.7), with an age range of 15–99 years. The most common neurological disorder was stroke which accounted for 21.3%, followed by spinal cord compression syndromes (20.8%), epilepsy (17.3%), parkinsonian syndromes (8.9%), headaches (7.1%), and bacterial meningitis (5.2%). The highest number of cases of neurological disorder occurred within the age group of 45–54 years. Conclusion: The outcome of this study revealed that stroke and spinal cord compression syndromes were the most common neurological disorders in our center. It also showed that individuals within their productive age (50–54 years) were more affected. Given the present state of constrained resources, coordinated efforts at the institutional, state, and federal government levels are essential to encourage prioritization, funding, and implementation of effective health-care delivery system.