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Collaborations on blood transfusion research in sub-Saharan Africa: who, what and where.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:Children and pregnant women use 75% of the blood supply in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) but face widespread blood shortages. To increase safe blood supply, Africa-specific evidence and strengthened capacity for transfusion research are needed. Our study analysed seven years of SSA transfusion publications, compared researched topics against priorities and enumerated SSA transfusion research collaborations. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Data on research topic, journal type, authors' institutions and country were extracted from transfusion-related SSA articles published between 2008 and 14 and used to construct a quantitative, graphic visualization of collaborations. Research topics were compared to those identified as priorities for SSA blood services in 2008 and 2015. RESULTS:Of the 2176, 267 articles (average 38/year) met criteria for analysis. They involved 1245 authors, 673 institutions, 59 countries (35 SSA) and 1375 collaborations. About 41% were on transfusion-transmitted infections. About 34% were published in specialist transfusion journals. Only 7% involved exclusively collaborations within SSA. Two of the top fifteen institutions by publication quantity were from outside SSA. CONCLUSION:Despite a general paucity of SSA-relevant transfusion research, Francophone SSA was well-represented. Published research topics are not well matched to SSA research priorities; research on supply, distribution, financing and systems is particularly neglected. The study provides a baseline against which to track any refocusing of research activity to better meet SSA's needs. Transfusion research hubs within and beyond SSA have been identified as a springboard network for expanding SSA transfusion research capacity.

SUBMITTER: Fisher A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7187137 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Collaborations on blood transfusion research in sub-Saharan Africa: who, what and where.

Fisher Amelia A Wallis Selina S Hassall Oliver O Martin Russell R Bates Imelda I

Vox sanguinis 20200205 3

<h4>Background and objectives</h4>Children and pregnant women use 75% of the blood supply in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) but face widespread blood shortages. To increase safe blood supply, Africa-specific evidence and strengthened capacity for transfusion research are needed. Our study analysed seven years of SSA transfusion publications, compared researched topics against priorities and enumerated SSA transfusion research collaborations.<h4>Materials and methods</h4>Data on research topic, journal ...[more]

PMID: 32026497

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Project description:BACKGROUND: In malarious areas of the world, a higher proportion of the population has blood group O than in non-malarious areas. This is probably due to a survival advantage conferred either by an attenuating effect on the course of or reduction in the risk of infection by plasmodial parasites. Here, the association between ABO blood group and incidence of placental malaria was assessed in order to determine the possible influence of the former on the latter. METHODS: Data from a study in Lambaréné, Gabon, and data from three previously published reports of studies in The Gambia, Malawi and Sudan, were compiled and compared. ABO blood groups were cross-tabulated with placental malaria stratified by parity. Odds ratios (OR), stratified by parity, were calculated for the outcome, placental parasitaemia, and compared between blood group O vs. non-O mothers in all four studies. Random effects meta-analysis of data from individual studies from areas with perennial hyper/holoendemic transmission was performed. RESULTS: In Gabon, the odds ratio (OR) for active placental parasitaemia in mothers with group O was 0.3 (95% CI 0.05-1.8) for primiparae and 0.7 (95% CI 0.3-1.8) for multiparae. The OR for primiparae in the published study from The Gambia was 3.0 (95% CI 1.2-7.3) and, in Malawi, 2.2 (95% CI 1.1-4.3). In the Sudanese study, no OR for primiparae could be calculated. The OR for placental parasitaemia in group O multiparae was 0.8 (95% CI 0.3-1.7) in the Gambia, 0.6 (95% CI 0.4-1.0) in Malawi and 0.4 (95% CI 0.1-1.8) in Sudan. Combining data from the three studies conducted in hyper-/holo-endemic settings (Gambia, Malawi, Gabon) the OR for placental malaria in blood group O multiparae was 0.65 (95% CI 0.44-0.96) and for primiparae 1.70 (95% CI 0.67-4.33). CONCLUSION: Studies conducted in The Gambia and Malawi suggest that blood group O confers a higher risk of active placental infection in primiparae, but a significantly lower risk in multiparae. These findings were not confirmed by the study from Gabon, in which statistically non-significant trends for reduced risk of placental parasitaemia in those with blood group O, regardless of parity, were observed.

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Collaborations on blood transfusion research in sub-Saharan Africa: who, what and where.

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Collaborations on blood transfusion research in sub-Saharan Africa: who, what and where.

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