Exploring the Landscape of Latent Autoimmune Diabetes and Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young in Africa: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Background: Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) and maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY) are two forms of diabetes with varied disease symptoms. The prevalence of LADA is higher in adults than MODY. Both diseases contribute to the general burden of diabetes globally. While LADA is a sporadic autoimmune disorder, MODY is a heritable genetic disorder. The prevalence of LADA and MODY has not been fully documented in Africa due to the lack of robust diagnostic tools and the exorbitantly high cost of the available diagnostic tools. Methods: To understand the prevalence landscape of LADA and MODY in Africa, we conducted an extensive scoping review and mapped the various studies performed in Africa. We adopted the Joanna Briggs Institute literature review framework to conduct the scoping review of literature. Results: Research articles were included in the review analysis following exhaustive inclusion criteria to ensure that only qualified articles were included in the final analysis. Overall, 16 research articles met the inclusion criteria and were critically analyzed. An in-house data extraction sheet was used for data extraction from all the shortlisted articles. Information about the sample size, inclusion criteria, age, gender, and study design extracted from all the articles and analyzed. Majority of the studies adopted cross-sectional study design. In terms of sample sizes, the studies used relatively smaller sample sizes due to the high cost of the diagnosis and nature of the diseases. The prevalence rates of LADA and MODY varied in various countries ranging from 1.8 to 18%. Conclusion: African countries are significantly under-represented. The scarcity of research on LADA and MODY research in Africa is evidence of the urgent need to invest more resources in this area. This would guide future research and shape the road towards understanding diabetes in Africa.