SynthesisBMC infectious diseases2026
Associated characteristics of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) cases in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC infectious diseases, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe persistent spread of tuberculosis (TB), driven by multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), poses a major public health threat in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), worsening the region's already high burden of infectious disease mortality. Despite fragmented evidence, a comprehensive quantitative assessment of MDR-TB patient characteristics that fuel resistance across the continent has been limited. This study aimed to synthesize and quantify the demographic, clinical, socio-economic, and behavioral patient profiles associated with MDR-TB in SSA to inform targeted control strategies.
methodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies published between January 2000 and November 2025 across five databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, AJOL, and Google Scholar). Pooled proportions of demographic, clinical, socio-economic, behavioral, and treatment-related characteristics reported among MDR-TB patients were calculated using a random-effects model, with heterogeneity quantified by the I
resultsThirty-six studies from 15 African countries, predominantly Ethiopia (36%), involving 10,792 participants and 3,864 MDR-TB cases, were included. The pooled proportion of MDR-TB cases across these heterogenous study populations was 39.0% (95% CI: 29-49; I
conclusionThe findings suggest that MDR-TB across the included study population in Sub-Saharan Africa is commonly reported alongside systemic treatment failures, behavioral factors, and socio-economic vulnerabilities. Addressing these challenges requires strengthening directly observed therapy short-course (DOTS) through community engagements, integrating traditional healers into referral systems, and enhancing social support to improve adherence. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.