Acute myocardial infarction in sub-Saharan Africa: the need for data

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 9; no. 5; p. e96688
• Main Authors: Hertz, Julian T, Reardon, Joseph M, Rodrigues, Clarissa G, de Andrade, Luciano, Limkakeng, Alexander T, Bloomfield, Gerald S, Lynch, Catherine A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 09.05.2014; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Acute coronary syndromes; Acute Disease - epidemiology; Africa South of the Sahara - epidemiology; Analysis; Angina pectoris; Biomarkers; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular diseases; Citation analysis; Criteria; Databases, Factual; Diabetes; Diagnostic systems; EKG; Electrocardiography; Emergency medical care; Global health; Health risk assessment; Heart attack; Heart attacks; Heart diseases; Hospitals; Humans; Infarction; Information sources; Ischemia; Literature reviews; Medicine; Medicine and Health Sciences; Myocardial infarction; Myocardial Infarction - epidemiology; Population; Population studies; Prevalence; Prospero protein; Public health; Quality assessment; Quality control; Research and Analysis Methods; Stroke; Studies; Systematic review; North Carolina; United States > US; Sub-Saharan Africa
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096688

Trends in the prevalence of acute myocardial infarction in sub-Saharan Africa have not been well described, despite growing recognition of the increasing burden of cardiovascular disease in low- and middle-income countries. The aim of this systematic review was to describe the prevalence of acute myocardial infarction in sub-Saharan Africa. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Global Health Archive, CINAHL, and Web of Science, and conducted reference and citation analyses. Inclusion criteria were: observational studies, studies that reported incidence or prevalence of acute myocardial infarction, studies conducted in sub-Saharan Africa, and studies that defined acute myocardial infarction by EKG changes or elevation of cardiac biomarkers. Studies conducted prior to 1992 were excluded. Two independent reviewers analyzed titles and abstracts, full-texts, and references and citations. These reviewers also performed quality assessment and data extraction. Quality assessment was conducted with a validated scale for observational studies. Of 2292 records retrieved, seven studies met all inclusion criteria. These studies included a total of 92,378 participants from highly heterogeneous study populations in five different countries. Methodological quality assessment demonstrated scores ranging from 3 to 7 points (on an 8-point scale). Prevalence of acute myocardial infarction ranged from 0.1 to 10.4% among the included studies. There is insufficient population-based data describing the prevalence of acute myocardial infarction in sub-Saharan Africa. Well-designed registries and surveillance studies that capture the broad and diverse population with acute myocardial infarction in sub-Saharan Africa using common diagnostic criteria are critical in order to guide prevention and treatment strategies. Registered in International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) Database #CRD42012003161.