Table 1.
Overall characteristics of the selected studies on COPD confirmed using spirometry in sub-Saharan Africa
| Author | Country | Study period | Participants n | Population | Age mean (range) years | COPD definition used | COPD prevalence % | Method quality score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population-based studies | ||||||||
| Burney20 | Cape Town, South Africa | 2005 | 840 | Urban | M: 53 | PBD FEV1/FVC <LLN | 18.9 | 5/6 |
| F: 54 | ||||||||
| Buist34 | Cape Town, South Africa | 2007 | 896 | Urban | M: 52.7 | PBD FEV1/FVC <0.7 | 24.8 | 6/6 |
| F: 54.2 (40–>70) | FEV1/FVC<0.7 and FEV1 ≤ 80% predicted | |||||||
| Burney20 | Gezira, Sudan | 2016 | 575 | Rural | M: 55 | PBD FEV1/FVC <LLN | 5.6 | 5/6 |
| F: 52 | ||||||||
| Burney20 | Khartoum, Sudan | 2014 | 516 | Urban | M: 55 | PBD FEV1/FVC <LLN | 10.5 | 5/6 |
| F: 51 | ||||||||
| Fullerton35 | Malawi | 2011 | 372 | Mixed | 41.53 | Pre-BD FEV1/FVC <0.7 | 16 | 4/6 |
| Garthuru36 | Nigeria | 2002 | 410 | Urban | 47.8 (30–69) | Pre-BD FEV1/FVC <0.7 | 9.3 | 4/6 |
| Burney20 | Benin | 2013 | 545 | Urban | M: 53 | PBD FEV1/FVC <LLN | 7.7 | 5/6 |
| F: 50 | ||||||||
| Magitta37 | Tanzania | 2016 | 496 | Rural | 51.8 (41.2–62.4) | PBD FEV1/FVC< 70% | 17.5 | 5/6 |
| Burney20 | Blantyre, Malawi | 2016 | 401 | Urban | M: 53 | PBD FEV1/FVC <LLN | 8.2 | 5/6 |
| F: 51 | ||||||||
| Burney20 | Chikhwawa, Malawi | 2016 | 432 | Rural | M: 54 | PBD FEV1/FVC <LLN | 14 | 5/6 |
| F: 52 | ||||||||
| Musafari38 | Rwanda | 2009 | 1824 | Urban and rural | 38.3 (15–80) | Pre-BD FEV1/FVC <LLN | 4.5 | 5/6 |
| Ngahane39 | Cameroon | 2016 | 337 | Rural | 46 (37–59) | PBD FEV1/FVC <LLN | 18.4 | 4/6 |
| Nightingale40 | Malawi | 2016 | 1481 | Rural | 43.8 (36.0–61.6) | FEV1/FVC <0.7 | 8.7* | 6/6 |
| North41 | Uganda | 2019 | 565 | Rural | 39 ± 17 | PBD FEV1/FVC < LLN | 2.0 | 6/6 |
| Obaseki25 | Ile-Ife, Nigeria | 2005 | 1169 | Urban | ≥40 | PBD FEV1/FVC < LLN | 7.7 | 6/6 |
| Ozoh42 | Lagos, Nigeria | 2012 | 412 | Urban | 53.7 (42.5–64.9) | PBD FEV1/FVC < 0.7 | 5.3 | 4/6 |
| Pefura-Yone43 | Cameroon | 2014 | 1287 | Urban | 34.4 (21.6–47.2) | PBD FEV1/FVC < LLN and FEV1/FVC <0.7 | 2.4 | 5/6 |
| Siddharthan44 | Uganda | 2016 | 837 | Rural | 49.1 | PBD FEV1/FVC Z-score ≤–1.64 | 6.1 | 5/6 |
| Siddharthan44 | Uganda | 2016 | 665 | Urban | 44.1 | PBD FEV1/FVC Z-score ≤–1.64 | 1.7 | 5/6 |
| Van Gemert45 | Uganda | 2012 | 588 | Rural | 45.0 (31.3–58.7) | FEV1/FVC < LLN and FVC <80% as cut-off | 16.2 | 6/6 |
| Wicht46* | South Africa | 1977 | 509 | Urban | 40.2 (median 20–79) | FEV1/FVC <0.7 | 9.3 | 4/6 |
| Wolderamanuel47 | Ethiopia | 2019 | 734 | Rural | 39.15 ± 9.36) | PBD FEV1/FVC <0.7 | 17.8 | 5/6 |
| Zoller48 | Tanzania | 2016 | 598 | Urban and rural | 46.0 (37–57) | FEV1/FVC < 5th percentile, FEV1 < 0.7 | 4 (ATS), 5(GOLD) | 6/6 |
| Occupational studies | ||||||||
| Girdler-Brown49† | South Africa | 2008 | 779 | Goldmines | 47.8 (30–69) | FEV1/FVC <0.7 | 9.3 | 4/6 |
| Mbelambela50 | Democratic Republic Congo | 2016 | 379 | Cement factories | Exposed to cement dust: 48 (37.6–58.4) | PBD FEV1/FVC < LLN | 28.2 (Exposed) | 4/6 |
| Non-exposed: 51.8 (51.7–51.9) | FEV1/FVC <70% | 9.6 (non-Exposed) | ||||||
| Oleru & Onyekwe51 | Nigeria | 1992 | 134 | Shoe factory | 33.1 | FEV1/FVC ≤0.7 and FVC ≥0.8 of predicted FVC | 6.8 | 4/6 |
| Rusibamayila52 | Tanzania | 2017 | 112 | Goldmine | 37.4 (31.0–43.8) | FEV1/FVC < 0.7 | 1.9 | 5/6 |
* Signifies prevalence of obstructive airway disease.
† Underground and open pits.
COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; M = male; F = female; PBD = post bronchodilator; FEV1 = forced expiratory volume in 1 sec; FVC = forced vital capacity; LLN = lower limit of normal.