Electroencephalography In Seizure Diagnosis And The Prediction Of Functional Outcomes Of Stroke Patients At Korle Bu Teaching Hospital

ABSTRACT Background: As compared to developed economies, stroke is a rising epidemic affecting mostly the younger workforce in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), exerting a severe toll on the physical, psychoemotional, cognitive and social lives of its victims with a 3-year mortality rate of 84%. The occurrence of seizures lead to poor prognosis and increased mortality in stroke patients. Early screening for seizures and effective prognostication of the functional outcome of stroke may improve the outcomes of patients. General aim: This study aimed to determine the incidence of seizures in 30 stroke patients and how quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) indices prognosticate their one-month functional outcome. Methodology: Electroencephalography (EEG) is a non-invasive analysis of brain function available at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. Stroke outcome was measured using the modified National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (mNIHSS), modified Rankin Scale (MRS) and Barthel Index (BI). In this study, routine EEG of thirty (30) consenting acute stroke patients was recorded using the 10/20 standardized format within ten days of stroke onset. The EEG patterns were characterized by a neurologist and then delta/alpha ratio (DAR), relative alpha power (RAP) and the pairwise derived brain symmetry index (pdBSI) were calculated using the EEGLAB software. On the day of recording EEG, the mNIHSS, MRS and Barthel Index scores of the patients were measured and again a month later. Clinical and EEG findings were displayed on bar charts and statistical tables while Spearman’s rank correlation and linear regression was used to determine predictors of one-month outcome using the Statistical Product for Service Solution (SPSS) version 20.