Evidence mapPaperPMID 41689128Full record

ArticleSystematic reviews2026

Prevalence of diabetic cardiomyopathy in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review protocol.

A Arowolo, L D M Bennie, Mahmoud Werfalli, R Johnson, M E Engel

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Article in Systematic reviews, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

A ArowoloBiomedical Research and Innovation Platform, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, 7500, South Africa. afolake.arowolo@mrc.ac.za.
L D M BennieSouth Africa Cochrane Centre, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, 7500, South Africa.
Mahmoud WerfalliDepartment of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Benghazi, Benghazi, 1308, Libya.
R JohnsonBiomedical Research and Innovation Platform, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, 7500, South Africa.
M E EngelSouth Africa Cochrane Centre, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, 7500, South Africa.

Funding

National Research Foundation CSUR240320210052
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is rising rapidly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DbCM), defined as myocardial dysfunction occurring independently of coronary artery disease, hypertension, or significant valvular disease, is an important complication of T2DM and may progress to overt heart failure if undiagnosed. While well characterised in high-income settings, DbCM prevalence and distribution in LMICs remain poorly defined. This systematic review aims to estimate the pooled prevalence of DbCM among adults with T2DM in LMICs.

methodsThis protocol follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Manual for Evidence Synthesis. A comprehensive search will be conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, AJOL, and EBSCOhost, supplemented by regional databases and grey literature sources. Observational studies conducted in LMICs that report the prevalence of DbCM among adults with T2DM will be considered. DbCM must be diagnosed using objective cardiac imaging after exclusion of alternative causes of myocardial dysfunction. Two reviewers will independently screen, extract data, and assess risk of bias using a tool adapted for prevalence studies. DATA SYNTHESIS AND ANALYSIS: Where data are sufficiently comparable, pooled prevalence estimates will be calculated using random-effects meta-analysis. Prevalence proportions will be modelled using generalised linear mixed models with a logit link function to account for within- and between-study variability. Statistical heterogeneity will be assessed using the I EXPECTED OUTCOMES: This review is expected to report pooled prevalence estimates of DbCM across LMICs and to describe regional variation. Differences in diagnostic approaches, glycaemic control, diabetes duration, age, sex, and geographical region are anticipated to contribute to heterogeneity and will be explored where data permit.

conclusionBy synthesising available evidence on the prevalence of DbCM in LMICs, this review will clarify the burden of disease and provide evidence to inform health system planning and guide future research and prevention efforts aimed at reducing diabetes-related heart failure.

Indexed as

Developing CountriesDiabetes Mellitus, Type 2Diabetic CardiomyopathiesHumansPrevalenceResearch DesignSystematic Reviews as TopicDiabetic cardiomyopathyEpidemiologyLow- and middle-income countriesPrevalenceSystematic review protocolType 2 diabetes mellitus

Identifiers

PMID41689128
PMCPMC13078091

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.