Epidemiology and Risk Factors of Convulsive Status Epilepticus Patients Admitted in the Emergency Department of Tertiary Hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Introduction: Status epilepticus (SE) is one of the most common neurologic emergencies and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The underlying cause of SE varies between patients with epilepsy and those presenting without. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiology, risk factors and outcomes of patients presenting with convulsive SE in the emergency department (ED) of a tertiary hospital in Mogadishu. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted between July 2021 and June 2022. The study included both patients with epilepsy and those without epilepsy presenting to the ED with SE. Risk factors and underlying etiologies were evaluated in the patients in both the pediatric group (0-18 years) and adult group (18 years and above). Clinical history, neurologic examinations, neuroimaging, electroencephalography findings, and laboratory investigations were all evaluated. Results: The mean age for pediatric patients was 6 (SD±4.7), while the mean age for adult patients was 38 (SD±10.4). About 33 (36%) of the subjects had previous history of epilepsy, while 59 (64%) presented to the ED with their first seizure. About 80 (87%) had generalized seizure while 12 (13%) had focal seizure. Poor antiepileptic compliance was the most common risk factor for SE 20 (21.7%), followed by CNS infections 14 (15%), and prolonged febrile seizures 7 (7.6%). Poor antiepileptic drug compliance, cerebrovascular disorders, electrolyte imbalance, metabolic conditions, and drug abuse were the most common underlying etiologies of SE in patients older than 18 years. Prolonged febrile seizure, meningitis, encephalitis, systemic infections, and structural brain abnormalities were the most common underlying etiologies of SE in patients younger than 18 years. Conclusion: CNS infections, CVDs, metabolic disturbances, electrolyte imbalances, and systemic infections are major etiological risk factors of SE in patients without prior history of epilepsy. Medication adherence was the major etiological risk factor for SE identified in patients with epilepsy.

49-years-old women with unusual presentation of severe hypokalemia mimicking Guillain-Barré Syndrome: A rare case report.

Acute neuromuscular weakness with associated subsequent developing respiratory failure is common neurological emergency in all emergency departments worldwide. Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) remains the most common cause of acute ascending quadriplegia presents with ascending muscle weakness associated with paresthesia and loss of deep tendon reflexes and usually preceeded by diarrheal illness or upper airway infection. Here we report 49-year-old female presented with rapidly progressing, ascending quadraparesis for 48 hours duration with subsequently complicated by respiratory paralysis due to severe hypokalemia.

Emergency service experience following the terrorist attack in Mogadishu, 14 October 2017, a scene of lay rescuer triage.

BACKGROUND: A suicide bomber attack occurred in Somalia's capital city of Mogadishu on October 14, 2017. Over 500 people died, making it the third largest suicide bombing attack in world history. In this study, we aimed to share our experience and to discuss the importance of triage and prehospital care systems. METHODS: These retrospective data included data from patients who suffered from severe explosions. Patient triage was performed using the START (Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment) triage algorithm at the entrance of the hospital. The patients included in the study were classified according to their age, sex, triage code, location of their major injury, department to which they were admitted, and discharge and/or exit status. RESULTS: The patients included 188 (74.6%) males, and the mean age was 30.94 ± 12.23 years (range, 1-80 years). Eighty-six (34.1%) patients were marked with a red code indicating major injury, and 138 (54.8%) patients had superficial injuries. A total of 173 (68.7%) patients were managed in the emergency department (ED), and 7 (2.8%) patients died in the first 24 h. Multiple trauma injuries were detected in 43 (17.1%) patients, and 31 (12.3%) patients were admitted to the orthopedics department. CONCLUSION: Disaster management in a terrorist event requires rapid transport, appropriate triage, effective surgical approaches, and specific postoperative care. In this event, almost all patients were brought to the ED by lay rescuers. Appropriate triage algorithms for the public can be designed; for instance, green code: walking patient; yellow code: patient who is moving and asking for help; red code: unmoving or less mobile patient who is breathing; black code: nonbreathing patient.

Extensive mediastinal thymolipoma mimicking pulmonary edema.

Thymolipoma is a rare benign slow-growing encapsulated tumor of anterior mediastinum that accounts for 2-9% of all thymic neoplasms. About 30-50% of them are asymptomatic and found incidentally. Less than 200 cases have been published in the world literature so far. Here we report a case of thymolipoma of an adult female presented with progressive dyspnea, chest tightness and non-productive chough for 2-month duration. All blood investigations were normal. Radiological examinations suggested the presence of fat and soft tissue within the tumor without invading the neighboring structures. We concluded that the only curative treatment of thymolipoma is surgical excision. Unfortunately, the patient did not give consent despite telling her the outcomes if we do not do the surgical procedure, and a week later she passed away due to respiratory distress secondary to the mass effect of the tumor.