The patterns of clinical presentations of cerebellar syndromes among adult Sudanese patients

Abstract

Cerebellar syndromes are one of the commonest neurological diseases.
Objectives: To study the patterns of clinical presentations of cerebellar syndromes and to identify the possible causes.

Methods: This is a prospective hospital based, cross-sectional study. One hundred adult Sudanese patients with cerebellar syndromes were included in the study during the period from January 2006– January 2007.

Results: The most common age group affected was 18 – 25 years. Male to female ratio was 1.5: 1 unsteadiness on walking was the most common symptom (83%). Gait-ataxia was the most common sign (83%). Cerebrovascular disease was the most common aetiology (25%).

Conclusion: Cerebellar syndromes are not rare in Sudan. However, they were diagnosed more commonly at the central regions of the country probably because of more awareness of patients and better facilities
for diagnosis. The age of onset, the male predominance, the presentation and clinical findings were not different from reported literature. This also goes for the common causes apart from alcohol which is a strikingly rare as a cause in this study and could be accounted for the implementation of Elshariya (Islamic laws) Laws in Sudan.

Keywords: ataxia, dysmetria, disdiadochokenesis, decomposition, nystagmus, dysarthria.