TITLE:
Electrolyte Disorders in the Acute Phase of Ischemic Stroke in the University Hospitals of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso: Prevalence and Association with In-Hospital Mortality
AUTHORS:
Djingri Labodi Lompo, Alassane Zoungrana, Melody Z. Gnampa, Houseinata N. Napon, Fabienne Kere, Chritian Napon, Athanase Millogo
KEYWORDS:
Ischemic Stroke, Electrolyte Disorders, In-Hospital Mortality, University Hospitals, Ouagadougou
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of Neuroscience,
Vol.16 No.1,
December
26,
2025
ABSTRACT: Introduction: The objective of this study was to assess electrolyte disorders among patients hospitalized for ischemic stroke (IS) in the University Hospitals (UHs) of Ouagadougou. Methods: We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study of adult patients hospitalized for ischemic stroke—confirmed by brain CT or MRI—between January 1, 2022, and May 31, 2024. Socio-demographic, clinical, neuroimaging, blood laboratory (including electrolytes at admission), therapeutic, and in-hospital outcome data were analyzed using Epi Info 7.1.5.2. To identify electrolyte disorders associated with in-hospital mortality, we performed univariate analyses followed by multivariate analysis using backward logistic regression. The dependent variable was in-hospital mortality (yes/no), and the electrolyte abnormalities at admission served as independent variables. Statistical significance was set at p-value Results: A total of 249 patients were included. The mean age was 63.2 years, and males accounted for 60.2% of cases. At admission, impaired consciousness (25.7%) and moderate neurological deficit (73.5%) were frequently observed. Middle cerebral artery ischemia (73.1%) was the most common stroke territory. The most frequent electrolyte disorders were hypokalemia (26.5%), hypocalcemia (26.5%), hypoproteinemia (22.6%), hyponatremia (18.3%), hypomagnesemia (17.5%), and hypochloremia (14.2%). The mean length of hospital stay was 8.6 days, and in-hospital mortality was 20.5%. Hyperkalemia (OR 1.40; p = 0.01), hyperchloremia (OR 4.91; p = 0.04), and hypermagnesemia (OR 6.48; p = 0.04) were significantly and independently associated with in-hospital mortality. Conclusion: Electrolyte disorders are common in the acute phase of IS and are associated with an increased in-hospital mortality. Early detection, prevention, and management of these abnormalities could help improve outcomes in IS.