Factors Associated with EEG Slowing in Individuals with Parkinson's Disease.

Background: A plethora of scientific studies has shown diffuse slowing on electroencephalograph (EEG) study is a frequent occurrence in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, compared to the healthy controls. Little is known about EEG slowing and PD in the sub-Saharan Africa, especially in Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to assess factors associated with EEG slowing in individuals with Parkinson's disease.

Millard-Gubler Syndrome Associated with Cerebellar Ataxia in a Patient with Isolated Paramedian Pontine Infarction - A Rarely Observed Combination with a Benign Prognosis: A Case Report.

Isolated pontine infarction accounts for 7% of all ischemic strokes. Millard-Gubler syndrome is a clinical syndrome which occurs following lesions involving the ventral portion of the caudal pons, resulting in classic clinical features such as ipsilateral abducens and facial nerve palsy and contralateral hemiparesis. We report the case of a 55-year-old male patient having presented to the Yehuleshet Specialty Clinic 6 years back with sudden-onset dysarthria and appendicular ataxia of 10 days duration.

Symptomatic Giant Virchow-Robin Spaces: A Rare Cause of Spastic Quadriparesis in 43-Year-old Ethiopian Patient: A Case Report.

Background: Virchow-Robin Spaces (VRS) are perivascular spaces that surround small arteries and arterioles. These normal anatomical structures are thought to be involved in the drainage of interstitial fluid and also to play an immunomodulatory role by hosting macrophages. Rarely, it becomes giant and symptomatic resulting in mass effect on adjacent neuronal structures and ventricular system causing different neurological disorders.

Vitamin D Levels in Patients Presenting with Non-Specific Neuromuscular Pain and Fatigue in Ethiopia.

Background: Vitamin D is an important micronutrient impacting multiple physiologic functions including calcium, phosphorus and bone metabolism. Various studies demonstrate low vitamin D levels in non-specific neuromuscular pain disorders and chronic-fatigue-syndromes. This observation was supported by significant improvement of these disorders following Vitamin D supplementation.

MEDICAL AND NEUROLOGICAL COMPLICATIONS AMONG STROKE PATIENTS ADMITTED FOR INPATIENT CARE IN ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA.

Background And Purpose: Medical and neurologic complications of acute stroke adversely impact patient outcome and in some cases can be preventable. There is scarcity of data in the African medical setup and none to date in our country to our knowledge. The current study aims to describe types and frequencies of neuro-medical complications occurring in hospitalized patients after an acute stroke and to identify risk factors for development of these complications and the role of these factors on mortality.

Chronic meningitis in immunocompromised adult Ethiopians visiting Tikur Anbessa Teaching Hospital and Ye'huleshet Clinic from 2003-2004.

Background: Chronic meningitis is inflammation of the meninges where signs and symptoms develop and last for at least four weeks without alleviation. Little is known about the current etiology and incidence of the disease in adults living in developing countries.

Objective: The objective of this study was to elucidate the most common etiologies of chronic meningitis in adult Ethiopian patients and give an aid in the empiric therapy.

Neurolathyrism: two Ethiopian case reports and review of the literature.

Neurolathyrism is a toxic myelopathy caused by ingestion of the Lathyrus sativus grasspea. An irreversible acute to subacute spastic paraparesis or quadriparesis ensues. Despite public education, new cases of this preventable disease still occur.

Patterns of lumbar myelographic findings in patients with LBP a 5 years retrospective study at Yehuleshet Higher Clinic, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is usually defined as pain, muscle tension, or stiffness localized below the costal margin and above the inferior gluteal folds, with or without leg pain (sciatica). LBP is a common health problem and the imaging of which need carful clinical diagnostic triage. Most of us will experience at least one episode of LBP during our life.

Adaptation and mal-adaptation to ambient hypoxia; Andean, Ethiopian and Himalayan patterns.

The study of the biology of evolution has been confined to laboratories and model organisms. However, controlled laboratory conditions are unlikely to model variations in environments that influence selection in wild populations. Thus, the study of "fitness" for survival and the genetics that influence this are best carried out in the field and in matching environments.

Status epilepticus: clinical presentation, cause, outcome, and predictors of death in 119 Ethiopian patients.

Purpose: Status epilepticus (SE) is a common neurological emergency with high morbidity and mortality. There is no study that has been conducted among Ethiopian patients with SE. The purpose of this study was to analyze clinical presentation, causes, complications, outcomes, and predictors of mortality.

Cerebrovascular responses to hypoxia and hypocapnia in Ethiopian high altitude dwellers.

Background And Purpose: Cerebrovascular responses to hypoxia and hypocapnia in Peruvian altitude dwellers are impaired. This could contribute to the high incidence of altitude-related illness in Andeans. Ethiopian high altitude dwellers may show a different pattern of adaptation to high altitude.

Neurological evaluation of untreated human immunodeficiency virus infected adults in Ethiopia.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been implicated in neurological complications in developed countries. Developing countries have different viral clades and potentially different genetic and social risks for these complications. Baseline neurological performance measures associated with HIV infection have rarely been available from developing countries.

Central nervous system toxoplasmosis in adult Ethiopians.

Objectives: Toxoplasmosis is identified as one of the major central nervous system (CNS) opportunistic infections in AIDS patients. Sero-epidemiological surveys done among Ethiopian patients indicated a very high prevalence rate. This study was conducted to describe the clinical course of the disease in Ethiopians with AIDS.

Ramsay Hunt syndrome.

Ramsay Hunt Syndrome was described in a 58 years old woman from Addis Ababa. The woman presented with vesicular eruptions in the right ear which was followed by weakness of the same side of face & otalgia. The objective of this case report is to address herpes zoster & its complications with the treatment modalities & an uncommon clinical entity, Ramsay hunt syndrome.

Autonomic regulation during orthostatic stress in highlanders: comparison with sea-level residents.

This report is a comparison of orthostatic tolerance and autonomic function in three groups of high-altitude dwellers: Andeans with and without chronic mountain sickness (CMS) and healthy Ethiopians. Results are compared with those from healthy sea-level residents. The aim was to determine whether different high-altitude populations adapted differently to the prevailing hypobaric hypoxia.

Cerebral vasodilatation to exogenous NO is a measure of fitness for life at altitude.

Background And Purpose: Andean highlanders, unlike Ethiopians, develop chronic mountain sickness (CMS), a maladaptation to their native land. Ambient hypoxia induces NO-mediated vasodilatation. Fitness for life at altitude might be revealed by cerebrovascular responses to NO.

Characteristics and outcomes of stroke at Tikur Anbessa Teaching Hospital, Ethiopia.

Hospital studies have shown that stroke is an important cause of hospital morbidity and mortality in Ethiopia. The aim of this study is to determine the pattern, risk factors and determinants of mortality in patients with clinical diagnosis of stroke. It is a cross sectional study of all patients admitted with a clinical diagnosis of stroke between September 2000 and August 2001 to the Addis Ababa University Teaching Hospital.

How accurate is Siriraj stroke score among Ethiopians? A brief communication.

In hospitals where emergency neuroimaging is not available, the use of stroke scores has been proposed to distinguish ischemic from hemorrhagic stroke. The aim of this case study is to evaluate the accuracy of SSS among Ethiopian patients and was conducted in the Addis Ababa University teaching Hospital. Between September 1, 2000 and August 31, 2001.

Guillain-Barré syndrome in Ethiopian patients.

This is a ten years retrospective study conducted to assess the clinical profile and outcome of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) in Ethiopian patients. The medical records of all patients admitted with the diagnosis of GBS to the Department of Internal Medicine, Tikur Anbessa University Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia during the period September 1992 to September 2001 were reviewed. During the ten-year review period ninety-five patients were admitted with the diagnosis of GBS, of which eighty-one met the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke diagnostic criteria.

Frequency of movement disorders in an Ethiopian university practice.

There is little information on the frequency of movement disorders seen by physicians in the continent of Africa. We performed a medical record review of all patients seen in a university-based neurology clinic in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, over 1 year to determine the frequency of movement disorders seen, disease characteristics, diagnostic evaluations, and treatment. A total of 15.

Neurologic services in the nations of Africa.

Objective: To define the current state of neurologic health care services in the nations of Africa.

Methods: A survey on neurologic services was prepared in English, French, and Portuguese and sent to representatives of 53 of 53 African nations. Representatives for each country were identified first through the Pan African Association of Neurologic Sciences, followed by the World Federation of Neurology and the World Health Organization (WHO).