Experience and Outcomes of Thrombolysis for Ischemic Stroke in Sub-saharan Africa: Insights From Côte D'ivoire

Abstract

Abstract Intravenous thrombolysis has been a widely used treatment in developed countries for several years. However, its application in Africa is still limited due to the lack of infrastructure, which is a significant barrier to thrombolysis therapy in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan African countries. In Côte d'Ivoire, thrombolysis activity only began in 2017. We have reported a case series of thrombolytic therapy in Côte d'Ivoire between 2017 and 2021, involving 20 patients, 11 men and 9 women, with a mean age of 57.25 years. High blood pressure was the predominant risk factor, and atherosclerosis was the most incriminating etiologic factor (9/20). The mean initial NIH score was 10.17, and the mean time from onset to patient admission was 76.78 minutes, with the "Door to needle time" being 99.20 minutes. The mean NIH score within 24 hours was 7 (n=17). Eleven patients had a good outcome at 3 months (mRs M3 between 0 and 1), while two patients died within the same period.