Stroke burden in Egypt: data from five epidemiological studies

Abstract

Purpose: Accurate data on the epidemiology of stroke in Egypt is scarce. The aim of this review is to address this issue based on available community-based studies and compare the resulting findings to those of other regional and international studies.

Method: A systematic literature search was conducted to identify population-based epidemiological studies of stroke in Egyptians. Original articles published in English between 1990 and 2016 were included. Five studies from five different governorates in southern Egypt fulfilled the study criteria (Qena, Sohag, Assiut, New Valley and Red Sea).

Results: The mean and median crude prevalence rates (CPRs) across the five studies, which were conducted in southern Egypt were 721.6/100,000 and 655/100,000, respectively. The mean and median crude incidence rates (CIRs) were 187/100,000 and 180.5/100,000, respectively. The average CPR weighted by sample population size was 613/100,000 and the average CIR weighted by sample population size was 202/100,000.

Conclusion: The incidence and prevalence of stroke in Egypt are high. More population-based studies are urgently needed in northern Egypt and in Cairo - the capital of Egypt.

Keywords: Egypt; Stroke; epidemiology; incidence; prevalence.