Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42545965›Full record

SynthesisPloS one2026

Prevalence and associated factors of Leukemia in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Solomon Gedfie, Melese Abate Reta, Muluken Gashaw, Alembante Bazezew, Abdu Jemal, Nigatu Getu, Mengistu Tesfa Alula, Bewuketu Belete Alemu, Marye Nigatie, Getinet Kumie and 12 more

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

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

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

22 authors.

Solomon GedfieDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9964-1964
Melese Abate RetaDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1301-4746
Muluken GashawDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
Alembante BazezewDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
Abdu JemalDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
Nigatu GetuWoldia Cmprehensive Specialized Hospital, Woldia, Ethiopia.
Mengistu Tesfa AlulaDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
Bewuketu Belete AlemuDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
Marye NigatieDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
Getinet KumieDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
Zewdu TeferaDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
Brhanu KassanewDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
Ermias GetachewDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
Assefa SisayDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
Yalewayker GashawDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
Mesfine DesaleDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
Ephrem TamratDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
Zelalem DejazmachDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
Wagaw AbebeDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
Agenagnew AshagreDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
Tadesse MisganawDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.
Woldeteklehaymanot KassahunDepartment of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLeukemia is a group of diverse and biologically distinct blood cancers. While progress has been made in combating infectious diseases, chronic diseases like leukemia are increasingly prevalent. Current data on leukemia's prevalence in Africa are inconsistent, necessitating a comprehensive systematic review. This study aims to determine the pooled prevalence and associated risk factors of leukemia across Africa through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

methodThis systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases, including PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Science Direct, supplemented by searches using the Google Scholar and manual searches to identify eligible studies. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA version 11, with a random-effects model employed to compute pooled estimates. Higgen's I2 test statistics and meta-regression was conducted to explore potential sources of heterogeneity. Publication bias was assessed visually by Funnel plots and statistically using Egger's weighted regression test, a p-value of less than 0.05 indicates the presence of significant publication bias.

resultsA total of 17,546 articles were retrieved, of which fifteen studies, which recruited 42,884 individuals, were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of leukemia was 5.09% (95% CI: 4.02, 6.17) with I2 of 97.1%. Due to the heterogeneity, subgroup analyses by country showed that the highest prevalence was 10.58% in Nigeria, and the lowest was 0.58% in Zambia. Subgroup analysis based on publication year revealed 4.16% among studies conducted before 2015 and 6.67% among studies conducted after 2016. Additionally subgroup by sample size showed: smaller sample sizes (<384 participants) yielded a higher pooled estimate of 7.99%, conversely, studies with larger sample sizes (≥385 participants) showed 3.61%. Whereas subgroup analysis by population showed that 3.38% in children and 7.15% in the general population. Among the factors identified, rural residency (OR: 56.98, 95% CI: 9.97-326.70) and older age (OR: 3.90, 95% CI: 1.39-10.98) were significant predictors of leukemia in Africa.

conclusionThis review reveals a pooled prevalence of 5.09%, with rural residency and older age identified as significant predictors of leukemia in Africa, underscoring a public health concern.

Indexed as

LeukemiaAfricaHumansPrevalenceRisk Factors

Identifiers

PMID42545965
PMCPMC13432122

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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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.