Retention in care for type 2 diabetes management in Sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Diabetes prevalence has risen rapidly in Sub-Saharan Africa, but rates of retention in diabetes care are poorly understood. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine rates of retention in care of persons with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, Global Health and CINAHL online databases for cohort studies and randomised control trials (RCTs) published up to 12 October 2021, that reported retention in or attrition from care for patients with type 2 diabetes in Sub-Saharan Africa. Retention was defined as persons diagnosed with diabetes who were alive and in care or with a known outcome, while attrition was defined as loss from care. RESULTS: From 6559 articles identified, after title and abstract screening, 209 articles underwent full text review. Forty six papers met the inclusion criteria, comprising 22,610 participants. Twenty one articles were of RCTs of which 8 trials had 1 year or more of follow-up and 25 articles were of non-randomised studies of which 19 had 12 months or more of follow-up. A total of 11 studies (5 RCTs and 6 non-randomised) were assessed to be of good quality. Sixteen RCTs were done in secondary or tertiary care settings. Their pooled retention rate (95% CI) was 80% (77%, 84%) in the control arm. Four RCTs had been done in primary care settings and their pooled retention rate (95% CI) was 53% (45%, 62%) in the control arm. The setting of one trial was unclear. For non-randomised studies, retention rates (95% CI) were 68% (62%, 75%) among 19 studies done in secondary and tertiary care settings, and 40% (33%, 49%) among the 6 studies done in primary care settings. CONCLUSION: Rates of retention in care of people living with diabetes are poor in primary care research settings.

Iron stores in pregnant women with sickle cell disease: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Gradual improvements in the management of sickle cell disease (SCD), have led to an increase in the number of women with SCD who reach the age of procreation. However, evidence on the iron status of pregnant women with sickle cell disease (PWSCD) remains inconclusive. We conducted the first systematic review on the prevalence, determinants and maternal/foetal outcomes of iron deficiency anaemia among PWSCD. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Global Health, Africa Index Medicus, the Cochrane library databases and reference lists of retrieved publications for studies describing the iron status of PWSCD. The literature search was done over a period of 1 month, with no language or date restrictions applied. Data were extracted on a Microsoft excel sheet. Two authors assessed all included studies for methodological quality and risk of bias. RESULTS: A total of 710 reports were identified for title and article screening. Five retained studies were conducted before or during the 90s and included 67 participants. After quality assessment, the observational studies were designated to have a "fair" quality assessment while the randomised control trial had an "unclear" quality assessment. The prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia among PWSCD varied by study design and diagnostic method. The overall prevalence ranged from 6.67-83.33%. None of the studies provided evidence on factors associated with iron deficiency anaemia and the randomized trial reported no difference in outcomes between PWSCD who had iron supplementation and those who did not. CONCLUSION: Evidence on factors associated with iron deficiency anaemia among PWSCD and maternal/foetal outcomes in PWSCD who have iron deficiency anaemia is poor. The studies included in this review suggests that iron deficiency anaemia may be highly prevalent in PWSCD but due to the very small sample sizes and varied study designs, this evidence is inconclusive. The review shows that there is a need for more studies with robust designs and adequate sample sizes to assess the disease burden of iron deficiency anaemia in PWSCD.

Determinants of depression among nursing students in Cameroon: a cross-sectional analysis.

BACKGROUND: Nursing students are highly susceptible to depression given the heavy workload and clinical demands of the curriculum. Depression has negative impacts on their health and academic performance. This study aimed to determine the determinants of depression amongst nursing students in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of 447 nursing students recruited from a combination of state-owned and private nursing institutions in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon from January - April 2018 was carried out. Independent correlates of depression were determined using multivariable regression analysis, with the level of significance set at 95%. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire - 9 > 4) and major depressive disorder (Patient Health Questionnaire - 9 > 9) in these students was 69.57 and 26.40% respectively. Independent correlates of depression were found to be: total Oldenburg Burnout Inventory score (aOR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.11, 1.25; p value < 0.01); level of studies (aOR: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.55, 0.94; p value = 0.02) and occurrence of a life-changing crises (aOR: 2.13; 95% CI: 1.28, 3.55, p value < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of depression amongst nursing students in Cameroon is high. Determinants proposed in this study require further assessment to facilitate early identification and management of depression in this high-risk group, in order to limit the negative effects linked with the condition.

Adherence to antidiabetic medication and factors associated with non-adherence among patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus in two regional hospitals in Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus is a growing cause of disease burden globally. Its management is multifaceted, and adherence to pharmacotherapy is known to play a significant role in glycaemic control. Data on medication adherence among affected patients is unknown in Cameroon. In this study, the level of adherence and factors influencing non-adherence to antidiabetic medication among patients with type-2 diabetes was assessed. METHODS: A hospital-based cross-sectional study among adult patients receiving care in the diabetic clinics of the Limbe and Bamenda Regional Hospitals in Cameroon was conducted. Medication adherence was assessed using the Medication Compliance Questionnaire (MCQ). Factors associated with non-adherence to medication were determined using basic and adjusted multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS: A total of 195 patients with type 2 diabetes were recruited. The prevalence of non-adherence to medication was 54.4% [95% confidence interval (CI): 47.1-61.5%]. In multivariable analysis, age > 60 years (aO.R. = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.25-0.94), alcohol consumption (aO.R. = 2.13, 95% CI: 1.10-4.14) and insulin alone therapy (aO.R. = 2.85, 95% CI: 1.01-8.08) were associated with non-adherence. Patients attributed their non-adherence to forgetfulness (55.6%), lack of finances (38.2%) and disappearance of symptoms (14.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to anti-diabetic medication is poor in this study with more than half of participants being non-adherent. Urgent interventions are required to tackle this problem in combined efforts to stem this looming diabetes epidemic.

Grand multiparity in rural Cameroon: prevalence and adverse maternal and fetal delivery outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Grand multiparity is a major public health concern especially among developing countries and has been associated with higher risk of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes compared with women of lesser parity. There is a dearth of evidence on this subject in Cameroon, especially in the rural areas. We therefore carried out this study to document the prevalence and maternal and fetal delivery outcomes of grand multiparity in a rural Cameroonian setting. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of delivery records from two health facilities (the Oku District Hospital and Kevu Integrated Health Centre) in the Oku Health District over a period of eight years. Data was entered into and analyzed using Epi-Info version 7.0.8.3. The Chi-squared or Fisher's exact test was used to compare categorical variables. The threshold of statistical significance was set at 5%. RESULTS: A total of 1755 delivery records met our inclusion criteria. The overall prevalence of grand multiparity was 27.0%. We found no significant difference in the rate of selected maternal and fetal delivery outcomes between grand multiparous women and those with lesser parity (p-value> 0.05). However, grand multiparous women were less likely to develop second-fourth degree perineal tears compared to their counterparts with lesser parity (odds ratio = 0.3, 95% confidence interval = 0.2-0.7, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our study depicts a high prevalence of grand multiparous delivery in this rural community. With the exception of severe perineal tear, grand multipara and their babies are as likely to develop adverse delivery outcomes as their counterparts with lesser parity. There is also the need to enhance existing government policies on reproductive health in rural areas.

Validation of Pediatric Weight Estimation Formulae in a Suburban Cameroonian Population: A Cross-sectional Study.

We assessed the accuracy of the Nelson, Best Guess and Advanced Pediatric Life Support (APLS) formulae in estimating weight in a suburban Cameroonian pediatric population, by conducting a cross-sectional study using 544 children aged 1 month to 12 years. Agreement between measured and estimated weight was poor for Nelson [concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) 0.89 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.87-0.90)] and Best Guess [CCC 0.88 (95% CI 0.86-0.90)] formulae, and moderate for the APLS formula [CCC 0.92 (95% CI 0.90-0.93)]. On Bland-Altman analysis, all three methods had limits of agreement (APLS -42.2 to -45.6%, Best Guess -42.7 to -55.1%, Nelson -36.4 to -42.4%) above the -10 to -10% set as criteria for clinical agreement. Conclusively, the accuracy of all three formulae was clinically unacceptable in our study population, suggesting the need for studies aimed at deriving more accurate formulae adapted for use in our context.

Burnout as a predictor of depression: a cross-sectional study of the sociodemographic and clinical predictors of depression amongst nurses in Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: Depression is a debilitating mental health condition which affects an estimated 350 million people worldwide annually. Nurses are twice as likely to suffer from depression than professionals in other professions. This leads to a considerable loss of efficiency and productivity. We sought to determine the prevalence and predictors of depression among nurses in Cameroon. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis carried out over 6 months (January - June 2018) using nurses from public and private healthcare institutions sampled consecutively in the two English-speaking regions (North west and South west regions) of Cameroon. The nurses were handed a structured, printed, self-administered questionnaire to fill and hand in at their earliest convenience. Depression and burnout were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire - 9 and the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory respectively. RESULTS: A total of 143 nurses were recruited (mean age: 29.75 ± 6.55 years; age range: 20-55 years, 32.87% male). The overall prevalence of depression was 62.24%. Independent predictors of depression after multivariable analysis were: Number of night shifts a week (adjusted odds ratio: 1.58; p value: 0.045, 95% CI; 1.01, 2.48) and Total Oldenburg Burnout Inventory score (adjusted odds ratio: 1.21, p value: 0.001; 95% CI; 1.08, 1.35). Recreational drug use was also found to perfectly predict the outcome - depression. CONCLUSION: Depression is highly prevalent among nurses in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon. Accurate predictors could prove vital for early detection and management of affected individuals. Predictors presented herein require further investigation via multicentric nationwide studies, to obtain more generalizable results.

Identifying risk factors for the development of sepsis during adult severe malaria.

BACKGROUND: Severe falciparum malaria can be compounded by bacterial sepsis, necessitating antibiotics in addition to anti-malarial treatment. The objective of this analysis was to develop a prognostic model to identify patients admitted with severe malaria at higher risk of developing bacterial sepsis. METHODS: A retrospective data analysis using trial data from the South East Asian Quinine Artesunate Malaria Trial. Variables correlating with development of clinically defined sepsis were identified by univariable analysis, and subsequently included into a multivariable logistic regression model. Internal validation was performed by bootstrapping. Discrimination and goodness-of-fit were assessed using the area under the curve (AUC) and a calibration plot, respectively. RESULTS: Of the 1187 adults with severe malaria, 86 (7.3%) developed clinical sepsis during admission. Predictors for developing sepsis were: female sex, high blood urea nitrogen, high plasma anion gap, respiratory distress, shock on admission, high parasitaemia, coma and jaundice. The AUC of the model was 0.789, signifying modest differentiation for identifying patients developing sepsis. The model was well-calibrated (Hosmer-Lemeshow Chi squared = 1.02). The 25th percentile of the distribution of risk scores among those who developed sepsis could identify a high-risk group with a sensitivity and specificity of 70.0 and 69.4%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed model identifies patients with severe malaria at risk of developing clinical sepsis, potentially benefiting from antibiotic treatment in addition to anti-malarials. The model will need further evaluation with more strictly defined bacterial sepsis as outcome measure.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding depression among primary health care providers in Fako division, Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: Mental health and mental illness are often overlooked in the management of patients in our health services. Depression is a common mental disorder worldwide. Recognising and managing mental illnesses such as depression by primary health care providers (PHCPs) is crucial. This study describes the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of PHCPs regarding depression in Fako Division. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among PHCPs (general practitioners, nurses, pharmacy attendants and social workers) in public-owned health facilities in the four health districts in Fako Division. Participants were selected by a consecutive convenience sampling. A structured questionnaire including the Depression Attitude Questionnaire (DAQ) was used to collect information about their socio-demographic characteristics, professional qualifications and KAP about depression. RESULTS: The survey had a response rate of 56.7%. Most of the 226 participants (92.9%) were aware that depression needs medical intervention. Only 1.8% knew a standard tool used to diagnose depression. Two-thirds agreed that majority of the cases of depression encountered originate from recent misfortune. About 66% felt uncomfortable working with depressed patients. Also, 45.1% of PHCPs did not know if psychotropic drugs were available at pharmacies within their health area. Very few (15.2%) reported to have prescribed psychotropic drugs. Less than half (49.1%) of the participants had prior formal training in mental health. CONCLUSION: PHCPs in Fako Division tend to have limited knowledge and poor attitudes regarding depression. Practices towards diagnosis and management of depression tend to be inadequate. There is an urgent need to train PHCPs in mental health in general and depression diagnosis and management in particular.

Low birthweight in rural Cameroon: an analysis of a cut-off value.

BACKGROUND: Low birthweight (LBW) is a major predictor of early neonatal mortality which disproportionately affects low-income countries. WHO recommends regional definitions for LBW to prevent misclassifications and ensure appropriate care of babies with LBW. We conducted this study to define a clinical cut-off for LBW, and to determine the predictors and adverse foetal outcomes of LBW babies in a rural sub-division in Cameroon. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective register analysis of 1787 singleton deliveries in two health facilities in the Northwest Region of Cameroon. Records with no birthweight or birthweight less than 1000 g, babies born before arrival, multiple deliveries and deliveries before 28 weeks gestation were excluded from this study. The 10th percentile of birthweights was computed to obtain a statistical cut-off value for the LBW. To assess the clinical significance of the newly defined cut-off value, we compared the prevalence of adverse foetal outcomes between LBW (birthweight <10th percentile) and heavier babies (birthweight ≥10th percentile) in our study population. RESULTS: The 10th percentile of the birthweights was 2700 g. Preterm delivery was the lone predictor of LBW (aOR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.3-3.1; p = 0.001). LBW babies were more likely to be stillborn (OR = 9.6; 95% CI = 4.2-21.6; p < 0.001) or asphyxiated at the 5th minute (OR = 2.0; 95% CI = 1.2-3.3; p = 0.006), compared with heavier babies. Also, 6.1% of babies who had a birthweight between 2500 and 2700 g were more likely to be stillborn compared to heavier babies. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the clinical cut-off for LBW in this rural community is 2700 g; with 6.1% of babies born with LBW probably receiving inadequate care as the traditional cut-off value of 2500 g proposed by WHO is still used to define LBW in our setting. Further studies are necessary to define a national cut-off value for harmonisation of LBW definitions in the country to prevent misclassifications and ensure appropriate neonatal care.

Risk factors of lower limb cellulitis in a level-two healthcare facility in Cameroon: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Cellulitis is a common infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissues. It is associated with significant morbidity from necrosectomies and amputations especially in sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed at identifying the risk factors and burden of lower limb cellulitis to inform preventive strategies in Cameroon. METHODS: This was a hospital-based case-control study carried out in the Bamenda Regional Hospital (BRH) between September 2015 and August 2016. Cases were defined as consenting adults admitted to the surgical unit who presented with a localised area of lower limb erythema, warmth, oedema and pain, associated with fever (temperature ≥ 38 °C) and/or chills of sudden onset. Controls were adults hospitalised for diseases other than cellulitis, necrotising fasciitis, myositis, abscess or other variants of dermo-hypodermitis. Cases and controls were matched (1:2) for age and sex. RESULTS: Of the 183 participants (61 cases of cellulitis and 122 controls) included in the study, the median age was 52 years [Interquartile range (IQR): 32.5-74.5]. After controlling for potential confounders, obesity [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 4.7, 95% CI (1.5-14.7); p = 0.009], history of skin disruption [AOR = 12.4 (3.9-39.1); p < 0.001], and presence of toe-web intertrigo [AOR = 51.4 (11.7-225.6); p < 0.001] were significantly associated with cellulitis. Median hospital stay was longer (14 days [IQR: 6-28]) in cases compared to the controls (3 days [IQR: 2-7]). Among the cases, Streptococci species were the most frequent (n = 50, 82%) isolated germ followed by staphylococci species (n = 9, 15%). Patients with cellulitis were more likely to undergo necrosectomy (OR: 21.2; 95% CI: 7.6-59.2). Toe-web intertrigo had the highest (48.9%) population attributable risk for cellulitis, followed by history of disruption of skin barrier (37.8%) and obesity (20.6%). CONCLUSION: This study showed a high disease burden among patients with cellulitis. While risk factors identified are similar to prior literature, this study provides a contextual evidence-base for clinicians in this region to be more aggressive in management of these risk factors to prevent disease progression and development of cellulitis.

An appraisal of the neglected tropical diseases control program in Cameroon: the case of the national program against onchocerciasis.

BACKGROUND: Onchocerciasis is a severe parasitic infestation which causes disabling skin and subcutaneous tissue changes. Current global estimates suggest that it accounts for 1135.7 disability adjusted life years (DALYs) per 100,000 population. The disease is endemic in many African countries including Cameroon, probably suggesting that the current health policies are inadequate to achieve eradication of the disease. We aimed to appraise the current Onchocerciasis control program in Cameroon in the context of existing literature. METHODS: We carried out a MEDLINE search via PubMed to source for articles on Onchocerciasis in Cameroon. RESULTS: Our appraisal of the literature suggests that Onchocerciasis poses a significant health and economic burden in Cameroon. A composite of factors contribute to the challenge of containing and eradicating Onchocerciasis in Cameroon and include: continuous transmission of the disease; non-compliance to mass drug administration; inability of health care providers (HCPs) to adequately diagnose the disease; limited access of most individuals in endemic zones to annual preventive chemotherapy and inadequate population education on simple and practical measures to prevent the disease. More robust population-based epidemiologic studies are needed to better quantify the current disease burden and consequently guide intervention strategies for complete disease eradication. CONCLUSION: Onchocerciasis is still a neglected tropical disease (NTD) in Cameroon and urgently demands a need for intensification and probably modification of some strategies in the current onchocerciasis elimination program. Control of the disease will contribute to achievement of the corresponding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) quota.

Adolescent deliveries in rural Cameroon: an 8-year trend, prevalence and adverse maternofoetal outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Adolescent deliveries remain a global public health concern especially in low- and middle-income countries where 95% of these deliveries occur. In Cameroon, adolescent pregnancies have a high disease burden due to their association with adverse pregnancy outcomes. We sought to evaluate the prevalence, trend and adverse maternofoetal outcomes of adolescent deliveries in a rural community in Cameroon. METHOD: We carried out a retrospective register analysis of 1803 singleton deliveries in two health facilities located in the Oku sub-division over an 8-year period (2009 to 2016). We excluded: records without maternal age, babies born before arrival, birthweights less than 1000 g, multiple deliveries and deliveries before 28 weeks gestation. Data analysis was done using Epi info 7.0.8.3. The Fisher's exact test was used to compare categorical variables, while the chi-square test for trends was used to determine time trends. P-values below 5% were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The 8-year prevalence of adolescent deliveries was 20.4% (95% CI = 18.6-22.4) with a significant, downward trend between 2009 and 2016 (P trend = 0.05). Second-fourth degree perineal tears were more likely to complicate adolescent (Age < 20 years) deliveries compared with their adult (Age ≥ 20 years) counterparts (OR = 2.9; 95% CI = 1.8-4.7; p < 0.001). Also, babies born to adolescent mothers were more likely to have a low birthweight (OR = 1.7; 95% CI = 1.1-2.6; p = 0.009) and be asphyxiated at the fifth minute of life (OR = 3.2; 95% CI = 1.9-5.5; p < 0.001). Over an eight-year period, the downward trend in the prevalence of adolescent deliveries was associated with a significant decrease in the trend of neonatal asphyxia at the fifth minute. Married adolescents and their babies were as likely to develop the complications of adolescent delivery such as second-fourth degree perineal tears (OR = 0.8; 95% CI = 0.4-1.6; p = 0.456), low birthweight (OR = 2.1; 95% CI = 0.9-4.7; p = 0.070) and fifth minute neonatal asphyxia (OR = 0.9; 95% CI = 0.4-2.0; p = 0.832) as single adolescents and their babies. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of adolescent deliveries in this rural community is high with one of every five babies born to an adolescent mother. Despite the downward trend indicating a decrease in adolescent deliveries, our study demonstrates the need to reinforce and effectively apply existing government-based public health programme to target key indicators of adolescent pregnancy in Cameroon.

Low birth weight in a sub-urban area of Cameroon: an analysis of the clinical cut-off, incidence, predictors and complications.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organisation recommends that each country adopts its own cut-off value of low birth weight (LBW) for clinical use. The aims of this study were to establish a clinical cut-off point for LBW and to determine its incidence, predictors and complications in a sub-urban area's hospital of Cameroon. METHODS: We conducted a study in two phases: a 6-year retrospective phase during which we collected demographic and clinical information from the records of the maternity of the Buea Regional Hospital (BRH) and a 3-month prospective phase during which data were collected from consenting pregnant women using a structured questionnaire, and newborns were examined and followed after birth. RESULTS: A total of 4941 records were reviewed during the retrospective phase and the 10(th) centile of birth weights was 2600 g. In the 200 pregnant women enrolled during the prospective phase, using this cut-off yielded an incidence of LBW of 19.0 %. Independent predictors of LBW were preterm delivery, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, HIV infection, maternal age >36 years, maternal height <150 cm and pre-delivery BMI < 25 kg/m(2). Neonates with LBW were more likely to have neonatal asphyxia, foetal distress, respiratory distress and neonatal death. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that newborns under 2600 g have LBW in sub-urban Cameroon. They represent one out of every five babies, and they deserve close care. Preventive measures targeting the predictors described here are warranted to reduce the incidence and complications. Similar studies in urban areas are required in order to generalize the results.

Non-calcified plaque in asymptomatic patients with zero coronary artery calcium score: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: There is growing interest in understanding the coronary atherosclerotic burden in asymptomatic patients with zero coronary artery calcium score (CACS). In this population, we aimed to investigate the prevalence and severity of non-calcified coronary plaques (NCP) as detected by coronary CT angiography (CCTA), and to analyze the associated clinical predictors. METHODS: This was a systematic review with meta-analysis of studies indexed in PubMed/Medline and Web of Science from inception of the database to March 31st, 2023. Using the random-effects model, separate Forest and Galbraith plots were generated for each effect size assessed. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistics whilst Funnel plots and Egger's test were used to assess for publication bias. RESULTS: From a total of 14 studies comprising 37808 patients, we approximated the pooled summary estimates for the overall prevalence of NCP to be 10% (95%CI: 6%-13%). Similarly, the pooled prevalence of obstructive NCP was estimated at 1.1% (95%CI: 0.7%-1.5%) from a total of 10 studies involving 21531 patients. Hypertension [OR: 1.46 (95%CI:1.31-1.62)] and diabetes mellitus [OR: 1.69 (95%CI: 1.41-1.97)] were significantly associated with developing any NCP, with male gender being the strongest predictor [OR: 3.22 (95%CI: 2.17-4.27)]. CONCLUSION: There is a low burden of NCP among asymptomatic subjects with zero CACS. In a subset of this population who have clinical predictors of NCP, the addition of CCTA has a potential to provide a better insight about occult coronary atherosclerosis, however, a risk-benefit approach must be factored in prior to CCTA use given the low prevalence of NCP.

Prevalence of microvascular and macrovascular complications of diabetes in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes in low-and-middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

There is an excessive burden of diabetes complications in low-resource settings. We conducted a systematic review to determine the nature and frequency of diabetes complications in newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. A systematic search was performed using Medline, CINAHL and Global Health online databases from inception to July 2020. Articles reporting prevalence of microvascular or macrovascular complications within six months of type 2 diabetes diagnosis and published in English or French from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) were eligible for analysis. Data were extracted using a standardized data extraction tool. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the prevalence of micro and macrovascular complications in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes. Assessment of heterogeneity was conducted using the inconsistency index (I2) and Cochran-Q chi2 statistical tests. Publication bias was assessed by the Funnel plot and Egger test. A total of 3 292 records underwent title or abstract screening and 95 articles underwent full text review. Thirty-three studies describing 13 283 participants (aged 20 years and older) met the inclusion criteria. The eligible studies were from Asia (n = 24), Africa (n = 4), Oceania (n = 2), South America (n = 2) and the Caribbean (n = 1). For microvascular complications, the median prevalence (interquartile range) of retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy were 12% (6%-15%), 15% (7%-35%) and 16% (10%25%) respectively. For macrovascular complications, the median prevalence (interquartile range) was 10% (7%-17%) for ischaemic heart disease, 6% (1%-20%) for peripheral arterial disease and 2% (1%-4%) for stroke. There was evidence of substantial heterogeneity between studies for all outcomes (I2 > 90%. We found a high prevalence of complications in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes in LMICs. Findings suggest that many people live with diabetes and are only diagnosed when they present with complications in LMICs. Research is needed to guide timely and effective identification of people living with diabetes in these settings.

Integration of non-communicable disease and HIV/AIDS management: a review of healthcare policies and plans in East Africa.

BACKGROUND: Low-income and middle-income countries are struggling to manage growing numbers of patients with chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), while services for patients with HIV infection are well established. There have been calls for integration of HIV and NCD services to increase efficiency and improve coverage of NCD care, although evidence of effectiveness remains unclear. In this review, we assess the extent to which National HIV and NCD policies in East Africa reflect the calls for HIV-NCD service integration. METHODS: Between April 2018 and December 2020, we searched for policies, strategies and guidelines associated with HIV and NCDs programmes in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Documents were searched manually for plans for integration of HIV and NCD services. Data were analysed qualitatively using document analysis. RESULTS: Thirty-one documents were screened, and 13 contained action plans for HIV and NCDs service integration. Integrated delivery of HIV and NCD care is recommended in high level health policies and treatment guidelines in four countries in the East African region; Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, mostly relating to integrating NCD care into HIV programmes. The increasing burden of NCDs, as well as a move towards person-centred differentiated delivery of services for people living with HIV, is a factor in the recent adoption of integrated HIV and NCD service delivery plans. Both South Sudan and Burundi report a focus on building their healthcare infrastructure and improving coverage and quality of healthcare provision, with no reported plans for HIV and NCD care integration. CONCLUSION: Despite the limited evidence of effectiveness, some East African countries have already taken steps towards HIV and NCD service integration. Close monitoring and evaluation of the integrated HIV and NCD programmes is necessary to provide insight into the associated benefits and risks, and to inform future service developments.

Population-level faecal metagenomic profiling as a tool to predict antimicrobial resistance in Enterobacterales isolates causing invasive infections: An exploratory study across Cambodia, Kenya, and the UK.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Enterobacterales is a global health threat. Capacity for individual-level surveillance remains limited in many countries, whilst population-level surveillance approaches could inform empiric antibiotic treatment guidelines. METHODS: In this exploratory study, a novel approach to population-level prediction of AMR in Enterobacterales clinical isolates using metagenomic (Illumina) profiling of pooled DNA extracts from human faecal samples was developed and tested. Taxonomic and AMR gene profiles were used to derive taxonomy-adjusted population-level AMR metrics. Bayesian modelling, and model comparison based on cross-validation, were used to evaluate the capacity of each metric to predict the number of resistant Enterobacterales invasive infections at a population-level, using available bloodstream/cerebrospinal fluid infection data. FINDINGS: Population metagenomes comprised samples from 177, 157, and 156 individuals in Kenya, the UK, and Cambodia, respectively, collected between September 2014 and April 2016. Clinical data from independent populations included 910, 3356 and 197 bacterial isolates from blood/cerebrospinal fluid infections in Kenya, the UK and Cambodia, respectively (samples collected between January 2010 and May 2017). Enterobacterales were common colonisers and pathogens, and faecal taxonomic/AMR gene distributions and proportions of antimicrobial-resistant Enterobacterales infections differed by setting. A model including terms reflecting the metagenomic abundance of the commonest clinical Enterobacterales species, and of AMR genes known to either increase the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) or confer clinically-relevant resistance, had a higher predictive performance in determining population-level resistance in clinical Enterobacterales isolates compared to models considering only AMR gene information, only taxonomic information, or an intercept-only baseline model (difference in expected log predictive density compared to best model, estimated using leave-one-out cross-validation: intercept-only model = -223 [95% credible interval (CI): -330,-116]; model considering only AMR gene information = -186 [95% CI: -281,-91]; model considering only taxonomic information = -151 [95% CI: -232,-69]). INTERPRETATION: Whilst our findings are exploratory and require validation, intermittent metagenomics of pooled samples could represent an effective approach for AMR surveillance and to predict population-level AMR in clinical isolates, complementary to ongoing development of laboratory infrastructures processing individual samples.

Prevalence of adolescent deliveries and its complications in Cameroon: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Adolescent deliveries (10-19 years) carry a high risk of adverse outcomes due to the biological and physiological immaturity of these mothers. They pose a significant health burden in Cameroon, as it is reported that a high proportion of women attending delivery services are teenagers. We therefore sought to systematically assess the prevalence of adolescent deliveries in the country and its maternal and neonatal outcomes. METHODS: This was a systematic review of literature and a meta-analysis. We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL and Global Health online databases for all studies that reported the proportion of adolescent women who presented for delivery in health facilities in Cameroon. All observational studies published up to 10th July 2019, were included. RESULTS: A total of 47 articles were identified by the search. After removal of duplicates and screening of the titles and abstracts, 11 eligible studies were retained with ten articles meeting the inclusion criteria. These ten studies finally retained reported on nine different cohorts with a total of 99,653 women. The pooled prevalence of adolescent deliveries from the nine cohorts in Cameroon was 14.4% (95% CI: 10.7-18.6%), the prevalence for early adolescent deliveries was 2.8% (95% CI: 0.4-7.2%), meanwhile that for late adolescent deliveries was 12.5% (95% CI: 6.7-19.8%). The prevalence of adolescent deliveries in urban areas - 13.1% (95% CI: 7.8-19.6%) was similar to that in semi-urban areas- 14.1% (95% CI: 6.7-23.5%). Adolescents were more likely than adults (> 19 years) to have low birth weight babies (OR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.6, 2.1); babies born with asphyxia (OR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.3, 2.1); babies born before term (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.1, 1.9) and babies who die in the neonatal period (OR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.2, 3.8). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of adolescent deliveries in Cameroon is high. Implementation of adolescent-friendly policies is necessary to reduce the proportion of adolescents who become pregnant in Cameroon.

Prevalence, indications and neonatal complications of caesarean deliveries in Cameroon: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The trend of increasing caesarean deliveries in developed countries over the past three decades is now being observed in sub-Saharan African. This rise might be associated with an increase in the complications that could arise from this surgical intervention. We therefore sought to assess the prevalence, indications and complications of caesarean deliveries in Cameroon. METHODS: We systematically searched online databases: Medline; Global Health and the CINAHL from 01st January 1966 to 25th July 2019. We reviewed published cohort studies, retrospective register analysis and cross-sectional studies that described cohorts of pregnant women presenting at delivery facilities in Cameroon; and included those that had an estimate of the proportion of women who delivered by caesarean sections. RESULTS: There were 126 articles initially identified by the search and 88 articles were retained after removal of duplicates. After screening of the titles and abstracts, and full text review, we identified 16 articles describing 22 cohorts of women presenting for delivery in health facilities in Cameroon. The overall estimate for the prevalence of caesarean deliveries was 9.9% (95% CI: 7.4, 12.8%, I2 = 99.68%, χ2 = 315.9, p < 0.001). The prevalence of caesarean deliveries increased progressively from 3.4% (95% CI: 2.2, 4.8%) before the year 2000, to 9.8% (95% CI: 7.4, 12.8%) between 2000 and 2009 and 14.7% (95% CI: 8.8, 21.7%) from 2010 to 2019. The three commonest indications for caesarean deliveries were: cephalopelvic disproportion (27.5%; 95% CI: 17.5, 38.7%); previous caesarean deliveries (13.2%; 95% CI: 7.4, 20.3%) and foetal distress (11.2%; 95% CI: 4.8, 19.5%). Neonates who were born by caesarean delivery were more likely to have neonatal asphyxia when compared with neonates born from vaginal deliveries (OR: 6.5; 95% CI: 2.5, 16.5). CONCLUSION: The rates of caesarean deliveries in Cameroon falls just within the recommended 10-15% range proposed by the World Health Organisation but have however been increasing progressively in the past decades. There is a strong need to assess the various indications of caesarean deliveries in Cameroon in order to curb its associated complications.