Prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and analysis.
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ABSTRACT: Background
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder that affects the small joints of the body. It is one of the leading causes of chronic morbidity in high-income countries, but little is known about the burden of this disease in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).Methods
The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of RA in six of the World Health Organization's (WHO) regions that harbour LMIC by identifying all relevant studies in those regions. To accomplish this aim various bibliographic databases were searched: PubMed, EMBASE, Global Health, LILACS and the Chinese databases CNKI and WanFang. Studies were selected based on pre-defined inclusion criteria, including a definition of RA based on the 1987 revision of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) definition.Results
Meta-estimates of regional RA prevalence rates for countries of low or middle income were 0.40% (95% CI: 0.23-0.57%) for Southeast Asian, 0.37% (95% CI: 0.23-0.51%) for Eastern Mediterranean, 0.62% (95% CI: 0.47-0.77%) for European, 1.25% (95% CI: 0.64-1.86%) for American and 0.42% (95% CI: 0.30-0.53%) for Western Pacific regions. A formal meta-analysis could not be performed for the sub-Saharan African region due to limited data. Male prevalence of RA in LMIC was 0.16% (95% CI: 0.11-0.20%) while the prevalence in women reached 0.75% (95% CI: 0.60-0.90%). This difference between males and females was statistically significant (P?ConclusionGiven that majority of the world's population resides in LMIC, the number of affected people is substantial, with a projection to increase in the coming years. Therefore, policy makers and health-care providers need to plan to address a significant disease burden both socially and economically.
SUBMITTER: Rudan I
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4416333 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jun
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and analysis.
Rudan Igor I Sidhu Simrita S Papana Angeliki A Meng Shi-Jiao SJ Xin-Wei Yu Y Wang Wei W Campbell-Page Ruth M RM Demaio Alessandro Rhyll AR Nair Harish H Sridhar Devi D Theodoratou Evropi E Dowman Ben B Adeloye Davies D Majeed Azeem A Car Josip J Campbell Harry H Wang Wei W Chan Kit Yee KY
Journal of global health 20150601 1
<h4>Background</h4>Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder that affects the small joints of the body. It is one of the leading causes of chronic morbidity in high-income countries, but little is known about the burden of this disease in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).<h4>Methods</h4>The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of RA in six of the World Health Organization's (WHO) regions that harbour LMIC by identifying all relevant studies in those regions. To accom ...[more]
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