scholarly journals Transcutaneous Laryngeal Ultrasound for Vocal Cord Paralysis Assessment in Patients Undergoing Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (22) ◽  
pp. 5393
Author(s):  
Agastya Patel ◽  
Piotr Spychalski ◽  
Aleksander Aszkiełowicz ◽  
Bogusław Mikaszewski ◽  
Jarek Kobiela
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Vocal Cord ◽  
Valsalva Maneuver ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Forest Plot ◽  
Parathyroid Surgery ◽  
Laryngoscopic Examination

Recurrent laryngeal nerve injury is an important complication following thyroid and parathyroid surgery. Recently, Transcutaneous laryngeal ultrasound (TLUSG) has emerged as a non-invasive alternative to laryngoscopic examination for vocal cord (VC) assessment. The aim of the systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine its diagnostic accuracy in reference to laryngoscopy. It was conducted in accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. MEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane library and Web of Science databases were searched to identify relevant articles. Sixteen studies were included in the review. Pooled diagnostic accuracy was calculated based on weighted arithmetic mean and plotting forest plot. The pooled visualization rate was 86.28% and 94.13% preoperatively and postoperatively, respectively. The respective pooled sensitivity and specificity was 78.48% and 98.28%, and 83.96% (CI 95%: 77.24–88.50%) and 96.15% (CI 95%: 95.24–96.88%). The diagnostic accuracy improved if transverse and lateral approaches, and valsalva maneuver were utilized. Male gender and older age were the most crucial risk factors for VC non-visualization. TLUSG is an efficacious screening tool for vocal cord palsy due to its high sensitivity. It is likely to prevent unnecessary laryngoscopic examination in around 80% of patients, with the potential for becoming a gold standard for specific (female/young) patient cohort through assimilative modifications use, increasing expertise and development of objective measurements in the future.

scholarly journals Diagnostic accuracy of transthoracic echocardiography for pulmonary hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. e033084 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin-Rong Ni ◽  
Pei-Jing Yan ◽  
Shi-Dong Liu ◽  
Yuan Hu ◽  
Ke-Hu Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Pulmonary Hypertension ◽  
Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Likelihood Ratio ◽  
Transthoracic Echocardiography ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Positive Likelihood Ratio ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Lower Sensitivity ◽  
Time Interval

ObjectiveTo evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH).DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis.Data sources and eligibility criteriaEmbase, Cochrane Library for clinical trials, PubMed and Web of Science were used to search studies from inception to 19 June, 2019. Studies using both TTE and right heart catheterisation (RHC) to diagnose PH were included.Main resultsA total of 27 studies involving 4386 subjects were considered as eligible for analysis. TTE had a pooled sensitivity of 85%, a pooled specificity of 74%, a pooled positive likelihood ratio of 3.2, a pooled negative likelihood ratio of 0.20, a pooled diagnostic OR of 16 and finally an area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.88. The subgroup with the shortest time interval between TTE and RHC had the best diagnostic effect, with sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve (AUC) of 88%, 90% and 0.94, respectively. TTE had lower sensitivity (81%), specificity (61%) and AUC (0.73) in the subgroup of patients with definite lung diseases. Subgroup analysis also showed that different thresholds of TTE resulted in a different diagnostic performance in the diagnosis of PH.ConclusionTTE has a clinical value in diagnosing PH, although it cannot yet replace RHC considered as the gold standard. The accuracy of TTE may be improved by shortening the time interval between TTE and RHC and by developing an appropriate threshold. TTE may not be suitable to assess pulmonary arterial pressure in patients with pulmonary diseases.PROSPERO registration numberPROSPERO CRD42019123289.

scholarly journals Prevalence of Syphilis among Pregnant Women in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siraj Hussen ◽  
Birkneh Tilahun Tadesse
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Screening Program ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Forest Plot ◽  
Pooled Prevalence ◽  
Sub Saharan

Objective. Syphilis is one of the most imperative STIs, caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum. During pregnancy it is associated with disastrous health outcomes in the newborn. In sub-Saharan Africa, study findings on the prevalence of syphilis among pregnant women are highly dispersed and inconsistent. The aim of the current review is to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of syphilis in sub-Saharan Africa among pregnant women. Design. Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data Sources. Databases including MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and HINARI and reference lists of previous prevalence studies were systematically searched for relevant literature from January 1999 to November 2018. Results were presented in forest plot, tables, and figures. Random-effects model was used for the meta-analysis. For the purpose of this review, a case of syphilis was defined as positive treponemal or nontreponemal tests among pregnant women. Data Extraction. Our search gave a total of 262 citations from all searched databases. Of these, 44 studies fulfilling the inclusion criteria and comprising 175,546 subjects were finally included. Results. The pooled prevalence of syphilis among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa was 2.9% (95%CI: 2.4%-3.4%). East and Southern African regions had a higher syphilis prevalence among pregnant women (3.2%, 95% CI: 2.3%-4.2% and 3.6%, 95%CI: 2.0%-5.1%, respectively) than the sub-Saharan African pooled prevalence. The prevalence of syphilis among pregnant women in most parts of the region seemed to have decreased over the past 20 years except for the East African region. However, prevalence did not significantly differ by region and time period. Conclusion. This review showed a high prevalence of syphilis in sub-Saharan Africa among pregnant women. The evidence suggests strengthening the screening program during pregnancy as part of the care package during antenatal care visits. Programs focusing on primary prevention of syphilis in women should also be strengthened.

PP9 A systematic review and meta-analysis of pre-hospital diagnostic accuracy studies

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. e4.2-e4
Author(s):  
Caitlin Wilson ◽  
Clare Harley ◽  
Stephanie Steels
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Cochrane Database ◽  
Full Text Review ◽  
Hospital Doctors ◽  
Diagnostic Sensitivity And Specificity ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity

BackgroundPre-hospital clinicians are involved in examining, treating and diagnosing patients. The accuracy of pre-hospital diagnoses is evaluated using diagnostic accuracy studies. We undertook a systematic review of published literature to provide an overview of how accurately pre-hospital clinicians diagnose patients compared to hospital doctors. A bivariate meta-analysis was incorporated to examine the range of diagnostic sensitivity and specificity.MethodsWe searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, AMED and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from 1946 to 7th May 2016 for studies where patients had been given a diagnosis by pre-hospital clinicians and hospital doctors. Key words focused on study type (‘diagnostic accuracy’), outcomes (sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratio?, predictive value?) and setting (paramedic*, pre-hospital, ambulance, ‘emergency service?’, ‘emergency medical service?’, ‘emergency technician?’). The sole researcher screened titles and abstracts to ensure eligibility criteria were met, as well as assessing methodological quality using QUADAS-2.Results2941 references were screened by title and/or abstract. Eleven studies encompassing 3 84 985 patients were included after full-text review. The types of diagnoses in one of the studies encompassed all possible diagnoses and in the other studies focused on sepsis, stroke and myocardial infarction. Sensitivity estimates ranged from 32%–100% and specificity estimates from 14%–100%. Eight of the studies were deemed to have a low risk of bias and were incorporated into a meta-analysis, which showed a pooled sensitivity of 0.74 (0.62, 0.82) and a pooled specificity of 0.94 (0.87, 0.97).ConclusionsCurrent published research suggests that diagnoses made by pre-hospital clinicians have high sensitivity and even higher specificity. However, the paucity and varying quality of eligible studies indicates that further pre-hospital diagnostic accuracy studies are warranted especially in the field of non-life-threatening conditions and trauma.

scholarly journals Meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy of nucleic acid amplification tests for abdominal tuberculosis: A protocol

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0243765
Author(s):  
Yanqin Shen ◽  
Likui Fang ◽  
Bo Ye ◽  
Guocan Yu
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis ◽  
Abdominal Tuberculosis ◽  
Nucleic Acid Amplification ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
China National Knowledge Infrastructure ◽  
Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests

Background Abdominal tuberculosis is a severe extrapulmonary tuberculosis, which can lead to serious complications. Early diagnosis and treatment are very important for the prognosis and the diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis is still difficult. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) for abdominal tuberculosis using meta-analysis method. Methods We will search PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and the Wanfang database for studies evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of NAATs for abdominal tuberculosis until May 2020. We will include a systematic review and meta-analysis that evaluated the accuracy of NAATs for abdominal tuberculosis. Any types of study design with full text will be sought and included. The risk of bias will be assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool. Stata version 15.0 with the midas command packages will be used to carry out meta-analyses. Results The results will provide clinical evidence for diagnostic accuracy of NAATs for abdominal tuberculosis, and this systematic review and meta-analysis will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication. Conclusion This overview will provide evidence of NAATs for diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis. Systematic review registration INPLASY202060030.

scholarly journals Diagnostic accuracy of the Mini Nutritional Assessment – Short Form to identify malnutrition among older adults: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 83
Author(s):  
Anne Griffin ◽  
Sorcha McGarry ◽  
Caoimhe Moloney ◽  
Rose Galvin
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Nutritional Assessment ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Mini Nutritional Assessment ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Nutrition Risk ◽  
Healthcare Settings

Malnutrition has many associated physiological and psychological consequences for older adults that can result in reduced quality of life, poor disease outcomes and more frequent and longer hospital stays. Early recognition of malnutrition allows for timely intervention and treatment. There are several screening tools for nutrition risk. The most common one for malnutrition developed and validated for older adults is the short-form of the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA-SF). It can be completed in just a few minutes and applied in all health care settings. This systematic review and meta-analysis serves to synthesise the totality of evidence regarding the diagnostic accuracy of the MNA-SF tool compared with the full-form of the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA-FF) in older adults for the diagnosis of malnutrition in healthcare settings. Systematic searches of five bibliographical databases will be performed and will include the Pubmed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and Web of Science to identify all studies that validate the MNA-SF for malnutrition among older adults in healthcare settings. Risk of bias will be assessed with the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool. Pre-specified MNA-SF scores will be used to identify patients’ risk of malnutrition. Using data from 2x2 tables, studies will be pooled to generate summary estimates of sensitivity and specificity using a bivariate random effects model. The findings of this systematic review of diagnostic accuracy will provide evidence for healthcare professionals to make informed decisions regarding the optimum use of the MNA-SF as a nutrition risk screening tool to identify malnutrition among older people. Registration details: Prospero registration number CRD42019131847

scholarly journals Diagnostic Accuracy of Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy for the Diagnosis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (23) ◽  
pp. 12390
Author(s):  
Sneha Sethi ◽  
Xiangqun Ju ◽  
Richard M. Logan ◽  
Paul Sambrook ◽  
Robert A. McLaughlin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Sensitivity And Specificity ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Risk Of Bias ◽  
Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
Likelihood Ratios

Background: Advances in treatment approaches for patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) have been unsuccessful in preventing frequent recurrences and distant metastases, leading to a poor prognosis. Early detection and prevention enable an improved 5-year survival and better prognosis. Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy (CLE) is a non-invasive imaging instrument that could enable an earlier diagnosis and possibly help in reducing unnecessary invasive surgical procedures. Objective: To present an up to date systematic review and meta-analysis assessing the diagnostic accuracy of CLE in diagnosing OSCC. Materials and Methods. PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were explored up to 30 June 2021, to collect articles concerning the diagnosis of OSCC through CLE. Screening: data extraction and appraisal was done by two reviewers. The quality of the methodology followed by the studies included in this review was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) tool. A random effects model was used for the meta-analysis. Results: Six studies were included, leading to a total number of 361 lesions in 213 patients. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 95% (95% CI, 92–97%; I2 = 77.5%) and 93% (95% CI, 90–95%; I2 = 68.6%); the pooled positive likelihood ratios and negative likelihood ratios were 10.85 (95% CI, 5.4–21.7; I2 = 55.9%) and 0.08 (95% CI, 0.03–0.2; I2 = 83.5%); and the pooled diagnostic odds ratio was 174.45 (95% CI, 34.51–881.69; I2 = 73.6%). Although risk of bias and heterogeneity is observed, this study validates that CLE may have a noteworthy clinical influence on the diagnosis of OSCC, through its high sensitivity and specificity. Conclusions: This review indicates an exceptionally high sensitivity and specificity of CLE for diagnosing OSCC. Whilst it is a promising diagnostic instrument, the limited number of existing studies and potential risk of bias of included studies does not allow us to draw firm conclusions. A conclusive inference can be drawn when more studies, possibly with homogeneous methodological approach, are performed.

scholarly journals A systematic review protocol for examining 30-day readmission costs for atrial fibrillation patients

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. e032101
Author(s):  
Taylor-Jade Woods ◽  
Peter Speck ◽  
Billingsley Kaambwa
Keyword(s):  
Atrial Fibrillation ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Primary Diagnosis ◽  
Index Admission ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Forest Plot ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
The Cost

IntroductionAtrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia and readmissions of AF patients place a huge burden on the healthcare system, including economically. With an increasing prevalence, the burden of AF will continue evolving. To illuminate the readmission-specific economic burden, we aim to provide quality evidence on the cost of readmissions within 30 days where AF has been the primary diagnosis at the index admission.Methods and analysisWe will conduct a systematic review of all peer-reviewed articles examining readmission costs for AF patients. We will search MedLine, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus and Cochrane Library for articles written in English, published in peer-reviewed journals from inception to 2019. Reporting of this protocol follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols checklist. Studies will be included if patients were aged 18 years and over, AF was the primary diagnosis of index admission and costs of readmission within 30 days were reported. Quality assessment of studies will be done using a modified Evers checklist. Study results will be summarised in a Forest plot and heterogeneity tested for using the Cochran’s Q and I2statistic. A random-effects model will be applied for meta-analysis if studies are sufficiently homogeneous. The cost of readmission to hospital within 30 days for AF patients is the main outcome of interest while additional outcomes are 30-day readmission rate, predictors of readmission and predictors of readmission costs.Ethics and disseminationFormal ethical approval is not required as no patients will be involved. Dissemination of results will be through a peer-reviewed publication.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42019132017

scholarly journals Hemi vs. Total joint arthroplasty for hallux rigidus

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 2473011418S0042
Author(s):  
Ashish Shah ◽  
Robert Stibolt ◽  
Harshadkumar Patel ◽  
Eva Lehtonen ◽  
Henry DeBell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Hallux Rigidus ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Forest Plot ◽  
First Metatarsophalangeal Joint ◽  
Randomized Controlled Studies ◽  
Total Arthroplasty ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Statistical Trends

Category: Midfoot/Forefoot Introduction/Purpose: Advanced-stage arthritis of the first metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ), or “Hallux Rigidus” (HR) is a common forefoot pathology. When surgery is indicated, arthroplasty is an alternative to arthrodesis, which aims to preserve MTPJ dorsiflexion. Since it is unclear whether total-toe or hemi-toe devices are preferred implants in MTPJ arthroplasty, we completed a systematic review of the literature and did a meta analysis to test which type of implants clinically outperform in hallux rigidus. Methods: A systematic review of MTPJ arthroplasty was performed using Pubmed, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and Cochrane library for the years 2000 to 2017. Data was extracted from articles containing both preoperative and postoperative endpoints for either hemi or total MTPJ arthroplasty cases. To be eligible for inclusion, studies must have had a mean follow-up window of at least 24 months and standard deviation of outcome. Total eleven studies were included for review, seven studies with hemi replacement and six studies with total arthroplasty. Pooled mean values were calculated, and a forest plot was created comparing pre-and post-operative American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Score (AOFAS), visual analogue scale (VAS), and range of motion (ROM) results for both hemi-toe and total-toe arthroplasty. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS. Results: Mean postoperative AOFAS scores in patients undergoing hemiarthroplasty improved by 50.7 points (95%CI: 48.5, 52.8), which was higher than the mean postoperative AOFAS improvement of 40.6 points (95%CI: 38.5, 42.8) seen in total-toe patients. Mean postoperative VAS improvement in hemiarthroplasty was 6.05 points (95%CI: 5.92, 6.18), which was comparable to the mean VAS improvement of 6.29 points (95%CI: 6.02, 6.55) seen in total arthroplasty. Mean postoperative MTPJ ROM improved by 43.0 degrees (95%CI: 39.3, 46.6) in hemi-toe patients, which exceeded the mean ROM improvement of 32.5 degrees (95%CI: 29.9, 35.1) found in total-toe cases. A meta-analysis of the data revealed non-significant statistical trends for AOFAS and ROM in favor of hemiarthroplasty. Conclusion: Hemi-surface implants in MTPJ arthroplasty may improve postoperative AOFAS and ROM results to a greater extent than total-toe devices. High-quality randomized controlled studies are needed to confirm long-term surgical outcomes in these patients.

scholarly journals Peguero-Lo Presti criteria for the diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. e0246305
Author(s):  
Zongying Yu ◽  
Jie Song ◽  
Li Cheng ◽  
Shasha Li ◽  
Qun Lu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Left Ventricular Hypertrophy ◽  
Diagnostic Accuracy ◽  
Ventricular Hypertrophy ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Bivariate Analysis ◽  
S Wave ◽  
Cornell Voltage

Background The Peguero-Lo Presti criteria are novel electrocardiographic (ECG) diagnostic criteria for the detection of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and represent the sum of the amplitude of the deepest S wave in any lead with the S wave in lead V4 (SD+SV4). The diagnostic efficacy of the Peguero-Lo Presti criteria in LVH is still debatable. We aimed to test the sensitivity and specificity of the Peguero-Lo Presti criteria and compared them with those of the Cornell voltage index to assess their overall performance in LVH diagnosis. Methods Electronic databases (e.g., Medline, Web of Knowledge, Embase, and the Cochrane Library) were searched from their inception until May 18, 2020. Trials written in English that investigated the Peguero-Lo Presti criteria for detecting LVH were included. Data were independently extracted and analyzed by two investigators. Results A total of 51 records were screened, and 6 trials comprising 13,564 patients were finally included. A bivariate analysis showed that the sensitivity of the Peguero-Lo Presti criteria (0.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.46–0.58) was higher than that of the Cornell voltage index (0.29, 95% CI 0.23–0.36) and Sokolow-Lyon criteria (0.24, 95% CI 0.21–0.27); the diagnostic accuracy of the Peguero-Lo Presti criteria (0.69, 95% CI 0.65–0.73) was also higher than that of the Cornell voltage index (0.67, 95% CI 0.62–0.71) and Sokolow-Lyon criteria (0.28, 95% CI 0.25–0.32); and the specificity of the Peguero-Lo Presti criteria (0.85, 95% CI 0.79–0.90) was similar to that of the Cornell voltage index (0.92, 95% CI 0.89–0.95) and Sokolow-Lyon criteria (0.94, 95%CI 0.88–0.97). Two trials (including 12,748 patients) were discharged because they included partly healthy subjects and accounted for substantial heterogeneity. Pooled analysis of the remaining 4 trials (including 816 patients) showed that the sensitivity of the Peguero-Lo Presti criteria (0.56, 95% CI 0.51–0.61) was also higher than that of the Cornell voltage index (0.36, 95% CI 0.31–0.42) and Sokolow-Lyon criteria (0.24, 95% CI 0.18–0.31); the diagnostic accuracy of the Peguero-Lo Presti criteria (0.84, 95% CI 0.80–0.87) was also higher than that of the Cornell voltage index (0.54, 95% CI 0.50–0.58) and Sokolow-Lyon criteria (0.38, 95% CI 0.34–0.42); and the specificity of the Peguero-Lo Presti criteria (0.90, 95% CI 0.87–0.92) was similar to that of the Cornell voltage index (0.93, 95% CI 0.88–0.96) and Sokolow-Lyon criteria (0.97, 95% CI 0.90–0.99). Both the likelihood ratio and posttest probability of the Peguero-Lo Presti criteria and Cornell voltage index were moderate. Conclusion Based on this systematic review and meta-analysis, the Peguero-Lo Presti criteria-based ECG diagnostic method for LVH has high sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy and should be applied in clinical practice settings.

scholarly journals Prevalence of anencephaly in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Oumer ◽  
Anteneh Ayelign Kibret ◽  
Amanuel Girma ◽  
Ashenafi Tazebew ◽  
Mezgebu Silamsaw
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Random Effect ◽  
Fetal Loss ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Forest Plot ◽  
Analysis Model ◽  
Birth Prevalence ◽  
Folic Acid Fortification

AbstractAnencephaly is a severe anomaly of the brain that results from the failure of the cephalic part of the neural tube to close during the fourth week. It occurs at least in one per thousand births and is the major cause of fetal loss and disabilities in newborns. The objective of this review is to determine the birth prevalence of anencephaly in Africa. We identified relevant studies via a search of databases like PubMed Central, PubMed/Medline, Science Direct, Joanna Briggs Institute, African Journals Online, Embase, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. After examining the heterogeneity of studies via the Cochran Q test and I2 test (and Forest plot for visual inspection), the prevalence of anencephaly was estimated using the random-effect meta-analysis model. Consequently, we carried out subgroup, sensitivity, meta-regression, trim and fill, time-trend, and meta-cumulative analyses. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, the twenty-four studies reported a total of 4,963,266 births. The pooled birth prevalence of anencephaly in Africa was 0.14% (95% CI: 0.12, 0.15%). Higher burden of anencephaly was detected in Ethiopia (0.37%, CI: 0.15, 0.58%), Algeria (0.24%, CI: 0.24, 0.25%), and Eritrea (0.19%, CI: 0.19, 0.19%). The higher pooled prevalence of anencephaly was observed in the studies that included both live births and stillbirths (0.16%) and in studies done after the year 2010 (0.25%) whereas, the lower burden was detected among countries that had a mandatory folic acid fortification (0.05%). High birth prevalence of anencephaly was detected in Africa. Strong prevention and control measures should be the priority because of an increment in the magnitude of anencephaly. Helping in prevention programs, which should be the ultimate contribution of this study to the field.

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