Epidemiology and Outcome of Stroke at University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Borno State, North East Nigeria

Stroke is the leading cause of adult neurological disability and a major cause of in-hospital mortality in Nigerian tertiary hospitals, with the epidemiological profile varying across geopolitical zones due to differing hypertension management and diagnostic capacity. This study examines the epidemiology, clinical presentation, neuroimaging findings, and outcomes of stroke among patients admitted to the neurology unit at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Borno State. A retrospective cross-sectional design is applied to case records over a four-year period from 2019 to 2022. Data include patient age, sex, presenting neurological deficits, Glasgow Coma Scale score at admission, computed tomography findings, stroke subtype (ischaemic versus haemorrhagic), modifiable risk factors, in-hospital complications, and 30-day mortality. SPSS is used for statistical analysis. Available neurology literature from North East Nigeria reports a high proportion of haemorrhagic strokes relative to southern states, linked to poorly controlled hypertension and limited antihypertensive access. The NIHSS neurological severity score and the Bamford (Oxford) classification of ischaemic stroke subtypes guide the analytical framework. Findings will contribute to institutional neuroepidemiological data and support advocacy for stroke unit development and hypertension control programmes. Keywords: stroke, epidemiology, neuroimaging, Maiduguri, North East Nigeria.