Background: Understanding profile, risk factors and outcomes of ischemic stroke is crucial to improving overall stroke care in resource-limited settings. This study aimed at describing clinical characteristics and identifying predictors of functional outcome among patients with ischemic stroke attending Kigali University Teaching Hospital and King Faisal Hospital in Rwanda.

Methods: Socio-demographic characteristics, medication and stroke history, laboratory and radiographic data were collected using face-to face questionnaires and physical examination. Modified Rankin Scale measured functional outcome at 3 months. Data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics 16. Descriptive statistics for all variables were generated and multiple linear regression analysis was conducted.

Results: In 8 months, a total of 153 participants (50.3% men) were included. 60.2% of  participants were aged above 70. History of hypertension was the most frequently reported risk (65.4%), followed by alcohol consumption (47.7%). Nearly 43% of participants had severe ischemic stroke while the in-hospital mortality was high (11.7%). The poor functional outcome at 3 months was  associated with advanced age (p<0.0001), aphasia (p<0.0001), long hospital stay (p<0.0001), previous Transient Ischemic  Attack  (TIA)or stroke (p<0.0001) , atrial fibrillation (p<0.0001) and high  National Institute Health Stroke scale (NIHSS) (p<0.0001)

Conclusion: While establishing the functional prognosis and the  plan of care to optimize the quality of life post-stroke, health care professionals are encouraged to consider the predictors of functional outcome identified in this study.

PROFILE AND PREDICTORS OF FUNCTIONAL OUTCOME IN PATIENTS WITH ISCHEMIC STROKE IN KIGALI UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL AND KING FAISAL HOSPITAL, RWANDA