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Meta-Analysis
. 2018 May 23:2018:8102527.
doi: 10.1155/2018/8102527. eCollection 2018.

Time Trends and Regional Variation in Prevalence of Asthma and Associated Factors in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Shalam Mohamed Hussain  1 , Syeda Ayesha Farhana  2 , Sulaiman Mohammed Alnasser  1
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Time Trends and Regional Variation in Prevalence of Asthma and Associated Factors in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Shalam Mohamed Hussain et al. Biomed Res Int. .

Abstract

Background: Asthma is the most common reason for emergency visits to hospital and loss of productive hours. In Saudi Arabia, asthma affects more than 2 million people and majority of them have uncontrolled asthma with their quality of life adversely being impacted. It is well known that the prevalence of asthma has been increasing in many places around the world in the last few decades. The present review attempted to identify studies on asthma and associated factors in Saudi Arabian population and assess their time trends and regional variation.

Methods: The titles and abstracts of retrieved articles were compared to delete duplication and irrelevant data. A data collection form was designed to extract several key components from selected articles like bibliographic information on the article, study population, and sample size. Extracted information was grouped appropriately for data analysis. Database search retrieved 71 articles. Applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 40 articles were excluded and 31 qualified full articles were included for the review.

Results: Among 31 retained studies, Riyadh had the highest publication output followed by Jeddah. Ten studies were based on ISAAC and 5 on non-ISAAC questionnaires while 5 studies were genetic studies conducted to unravel the genetic basis of asthma. Most of the studies were conducted on pediatric subjects of less than 16 years of age. Sample sizes ranged from less than 150 to more than 10000 with study settings being predominantly urban (22 studies). The pooled weighted prevalence rates of asthma, lifetime wheeze, and rhinitis were 14.3% (95% CI: 13.4-15.2), 16.5 (95% CI 15.5-17.4), and 21.4 (95% CI 20.5-22.3), respectively. An increase in asthma prevalence from 1990 to 2000 along with a stabilized or not so significant decline in the prevalence from 2010 to 2016 was observed.

Conclusion: The prevalence of asthma varied in different regions without any disparity in prevalence in the rural and urban areas of Saudi Arabia. The understanding of genetic variability and recognition of risk factors in asthma patients can greatly help in individualizing the therapy for the management and control of asthma.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Systematic review flow diagram for how articles were screened, excluded, and included in the study.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Regional asthma prevalence and publication period.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Forest plot for proportion of “asthma” and its 95% confidence interval in the prevalence studies.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Forest plot for proportion of “lifetime wheeze” and its 95% confidence interval in the prevalence studies.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Forest plot for proportion of rhinitis (95% confidence interval) in the prevalence studies.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Asthma prevalence (95% confidence interval) over the years in Saudi Arabia.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Time trends for asthma prevalence (95% confidence interval) from 1990 to 2016 in Saudi Arabia.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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