TITLE:
Prevalence and Prognosis Aspects of Secondary Brain Assets of Systemic Origin after a Cerebral Vascular Accident in Libreville
AUTHORS:
Raphaël Okoue Ondo, Roselyne Houtsa Temgoua, Ghislain Edjo Nkilly, Vanessa Sagbo Ada, Arsène Ifoudji Makao, Ulysse Mayegue Anani, Jean Félix Ngomas Moukady, Jean Marcel Mandji Lawson
KEYWORDS:
Stroke, Prevalence, SCASO, Prognosis, Libreville
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of Neuroscience,
Vol.16 No.2,
May
14,
2026
ABSTRACT: Stroke is a widespread and serious condition due to its significant impact on morbidity and mortality. This severity is explained not only by the presence of cardiovascular risk factors, but also by the occurrence of Secondary Cerebral Aggressions of Systemic Origin (SCASO), which worsen cerebral ischemia and thus the neurological and functional prognosis of patients. Objective: To determine the prevalence of SCASO in the stroke population in the Emergency Departments and Neurology Departments of the University Hospital Center of Libreville (CHUL) and the HIAOBO Hospital. Patients and Methods: A prospective, multicenter, longitudinal, analytical study was conducted at CHUL and L’HIAOBO from January to March 2024. The study targeted adult patients hospitalized in the emergency department and neurology or intensive care unit with radiologically confirmed stroke. We collected clinical and paraclinical data (including SCASO) and performed follow-up at days 3, 7, and 30 using the Rankin score to assess neurological prognosis. Results: A total of 52 patients were recruited from the two sites. The mean age was 59.5 years, and the male-to-female ratio was 1.4. A history of hypertension was found in 76.9% of patients, 30.8% were alcoholics, and 13.5% were smokers. The prevalence of SCASO was 46.1% and was significantly associated with higher mortality from day 3 (p = 0.017) to day 7 (p = 0.011). The Rankin score was better in patients with higher mean arterial pressure (MAP) (p = 0.36). Conclusion: The prevalence of SCASO was moderate and underestimated, but showed an association between SCASO and mortality. A larger cohort is needed to demonstrate that its presence significantly influences the vital and functional prognosis of patients.