The pattern of neurological disorders seen in a private healthcare institution in Lagos, Nigeria: a preliminary three (3) year review

Abstract

Introduction: Neurology is a rare specialty in Nigeria where the current specialist to patient ratio is approximately 1:3000000. The aim of this study was to describe the pattern of neurological disorders seen in the Adult Outpatient Neurology Clinics in a Private Healthcare Institution in Lagos-Nigeria.

Method: The electronic records of all outpatients seen by the author in Lagoon Hospitals, Hygeia over a three year period (July 2014 and Dec 2017) were retrieved and reviewed. Neurological disorders were grouped into 18 broad diagnoses using the ICD 10 nomenclature.

Results: Headache, spondylosis, stroke, epilepsy, peripheral neuropathies and movement disorders were the most frequent diagnoses constituting 28.47%; 18.32%; 14.58%; 9.60%; 8.65%; and 8.17% respectively. Among patients with headache, tension-type headache was the most frequent diagnosis (41.39%) while migraine headaches constituted 27.99%. Ischemic stroke constituted 84.11% of recorded stroke cases while intracerebral hemorrhage made up 4.67%. All were confirmed by neuroimaging studies.

Conclusion: In the typical adult outpatient neurology practice headaches, stroke, epilepsy, movement disorders and degenerative diseases of the spine are five commonly seen disorders and therefore the most likely to offer the largest returns for investors in neurology and neuro-rehabilitative medicine.

Keywords: Lagos, Neurological Disorders, Private Healthcare