Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35487738›Full record

SynthesisBMJ open2022

Variation in the estimated prevalence of multimorbidity: systematic review and meta-analysis of 193 international studies.

Iris Szu-Szu Ho, Amaya Azcoaga-Lorenzo, Ashley Akbari, Jim Davies, Peter Hodgins, Kamlesh Khunti, Umesh Kadam, Ronan Lyons, Colin McCowan, Stewart W Mercer and 2 more

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMJ open, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 111 papers, 12 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
111citing papers in PubMed, 12 pooled it
–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

111 citing papers in PubMed, 12 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Pooled it
  7. Pooled it
  8. Pooled it
  9. Pooled it
  10. Pooled it
  11. Pooled it
  12. Pooled it
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article

51 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

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

12 authors.

Iris Szu-Szu HoUsher Institute, Medical School, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK iris.s.ho@outlook.com.ORCID 0000-0003-4980-7780
Amaya Azcoaga-LorenzoSchool of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-3307-878X
Ashley AkbariMedical School, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-0814-0801
Jim DaviesDepartment of Computer Science, University of Oxford, Oxford, England, UK.
Peter HodginsUsher Institute, Medical School, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
Kamlesh KhuntiMedical School, University of Leicester, Leicester, England, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-2343-7099
Umesh KadamMedical School, University of Leicester, Leicester, England, UK.
Ronan LyonsMedical School, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-5225-000X
Colin McCowanSchool of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland, UK.
Stewart W MercerUsher Institute, Medical School, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-1703-3664
Krishnarajah NirantharakumarInstitute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, England, UK.
Bruce GuthrieUsher Institute, Medical School, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-4191-4880

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objective(1) To estimate the pooled prevalence of multimorbidity in all age groups, globally. (2) To examine how measurement of multimorbidity impacted the estimated prevalence.

methodsIn this systematic review and meta-analysis, we conducted searches in nine bibliographic databases (PsycINFO, Embase, Global Health, Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global) for prevalence studies published between database inception and 21 January 2020. Studies reporting the prevalence of multimorbidity (in all age groups and in community, primary care, care home and hospital settings) were included. Studies with an index condition or those that did not include people with no long-term conditions in the denominator were excluded. Retrieved studies were independently reviewed by two reviewers, and relevant data were extracted using predesigned pro forma. We used meta-analysis to pool the estimated prevalence of multimorbidity across studies, and used random-effects meta-regression and subgroup analysis to examine the association of heterogeneous prevalence estimates with study and measure characteristics.

results13 807 titles were screened, of which 193 met inclusion criteria for meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of multimorbidity was 42.4% (95% CI 38.9% to 46.0%) with high heterogeneity (I

conclusionsThe pooled prevalence of multimorbidity was significantly higher in older populations and when studies included a larger number of baseline conditions. The findings suggest that, to improve study comparability and quality of reporting, future studies should use a common core conditions set for multimorbidity measurement and report multimorbidity prevalence stratified by sociodemographics.

Indexed as

Global HealthMultimorbidityAgedHumansIncomePovertyPrevalenceepidemiologygeneral medicine (see internal medicine)geriatric medicine

Identifiers

PMID35487738
PMCPMC9058768

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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 OpenQuestion graph.