Preliminary report on theNeurology workload ina central hospital in Sudan.

Abstract

Introduction: Identification of the local pattern of neurological diseases is expected to help setting the priorities for good planning of management and public education.
Objectives: To identify the pattern of neurological disorders in a second biggest central hospital in Sudan.
Methodology: Review of the diagnosis of 170 patients, seen in the out patients neuro-clinic and the neurology ward from March 2010 to February 2011, was done. Patients who were in follow up by other neuro-clinics were excluded.
Results: The male to female ratio was 1:1 Patients who were 20-60 years old comprised 54%.About 50% of patients live in Omdurman city. Motor symptoms were the most common presenting symptoms forming 64.1% followed by cranial nerves symptoms 27.6%. Stroke was the commonest
encountered diagnosis seen in 20.7%, followed by epilepsy in 16.6%, headache in 9.6%, movement disorders in 7.7%, peripheral neuropathy in 3.6%, demylination in 1.8%, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) 1.8% and tumours in 1.2% patients. Stroke was more common in patients from East Sudan and Epilepsy was more common in patients from West Sudan. Vascular and degenerative changes were the commonest abnormalities seen in imaging studies. Demyelination and neoplasms were more common in females.
Conclusion: Stroke, epilepsy and headache were the commonest neurological disorders met in Omdurman Teaching Hospital.

Key words: general hospital, neurology department, neurological disorders.