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Review
. 2015 Mar-Apr;26(2 Suppl 1):S27-38.
doi: 10.5830/CVJA-2015-038.

The burden of stroke in Africa: a glance at the present and a glimpse into the future

Mayowa O Owolabi  1 , Sally Akarolo-Anthony  2 , Rufus Akinyemi  3 , Donna Arnett  4 , Mulugeta Gebregziabher  5 , Carolyn Jenkins  5 , Hemant Tiwari  4 , Oyedunni Arulogun  1 , Albert Akpalu  6 , Fred Stephen Sarfo  7 , Reginald Obiako  8 , Lukman Owolabi  9 , Kwamena Sagoe  6 , Sylvia Melikam  1 , Abiodun M Adeoye  1 , Daniel Lackland  5 , Bruce Ovbiagele  5 ; Members of the H3Africa Consortium
Affiliations
Review

The burden of stroke in Africa: a glance at the present and a glimpse into the future

Mayowa O Owolabi et al. Cardiovasc J Afr. 2015 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

Objective: Information on the current burden of stroke in Africa is limited. The aim of this review was to comprehensively examine the current and projected burden of stroke in Africa.

Methods: We systematically reviewed the available literature (PubMed and AJOL) from January 1960 and June 2014 on stroke in Africa. Percentage change in age-adjusted stroke incidence, mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for African countries between 1990 and 2010 were calculated from the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) model-derived figures.

Results: Community-based studies revealed an age-standardised annual stroke incidence rate of up to 316 per 100,000 population, and age-standardised prevalence rates of up to 981 per 100,000. Model-based estimates showed significant mean increases in age-standardised stroke incidence. The peculiar factors responsible for the substantial disparities in incidence velocity, ischaemic stroke proportion, mean age and case fatality compared to high-income countries remain unknown.

Conclusions: While the available study data and evidence are limited, the burden of stroke in Africa appears to be increasing.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Review selection process. AJOL: African Journals online.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Model-derived percentage changes in ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke incidence in African countries between 1990 and 2020.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Model-derived percentage changes in ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke mortality rates in African countries between 1990 and 2020.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 4.
Model-derived percentage changes in ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in African countries between 1990 and 2020.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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