title: The burden of stroke in Africa: a glance at the present and a glimpse into the future.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Information on the current burden of stroke in Africa is limited. The aim of this review was to comprehensively examine the current and projected burden of stroke in Africa.
  
  
  METHODS
  We systematically reviewed the available literature (PubMed and AJOL) from January 1960 and June 2014 on stroke in Africa. Percentage change in age-adjusted stroke incidence, mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for African countries between 1990 and 2010 were calculated from the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) model-derived figures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Community-based studies revealed an age-standardised annual stroke incidence rate of up to 316 per 100,000 population, and age-standardised prevalence rates of up to 981 per 100,000. Model-based estimates showed significant mean increases in age-standardised stroke incidence. The peculiar factors responsible for the substantial disparities in incidence velocity, ischaemic stroke proportion, mean age and case fatality compared to high-income countries remain unknown.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While the available study data and evidence are limited, the burden of stroke in Africa appears to be increasing.
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, University of Ibadan and University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Mayowa O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Owolabi
authors.affiliation: Harvard University, USA.
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akarolo-Anthony
authors.affiliation: Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Rufus
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Akinyemi
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA.
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arnett
authors.affiliation: Medical University of South Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Mulugeta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gebregziabher
authors.affiliation: Medical University of South Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA.
authors.forename: Hemant
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tiwari
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, University of Ibadan and University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Oyedunni
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Arulogun
authors.affiliation: University of Ghana, Ghana.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akpalu
authors.affiliation: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: Fred Stephen
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Sarfo
authors.affiliation: Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Reginald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Obiako
authors.affiliation: Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Lukman
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Owolabi
authors.affiliation: University of Ghana, Ghana.
authors.forename: Kwamena
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sagoe
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, University of Ibadan and University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Melikam
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, University of Ibadan and University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Abiodun M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Adeoye
authors.affiliation: Medical University of South Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lackland
authors.affiliation: Medical University of South Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ovbiagele
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D000367:Age Factors; D017281:Cost of Illness; D014943:Global Health / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology*