Background: The epidemiology of Sjögren syndrome (SS) has been extensively studied in America, Europe, and Asia.
Objective: To summarize available data on the epidemiology of SS in Africa.
Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and African Journals Online were searched from inception up to May 17, 2020, to identify relevant articles. Data gleaned from these reports have been summarized narratively in this review.
Results: Twenty-one hospital-based studies were included. These studies reported 744 cases of SS. The mean age at diagnosis varied between 28 and 73.6 years, and the female proportion ranged from 83.3% to 100%. There was no population-based incidence or prevalence. Among people with autoimmune and other rheumatic conditions, the frequency of primary SS was in the range 1.9% to 47.6%, whereas that of rheumatoid arthritis-associated secondary SS was in the range 4.3% to 100%. Sicca symptoms were the commonest features, with most frequently involved organs being joints, lungs, and neurological structures. Main autoantibodies were anti-Ro/SS antigen A, anti-La/SS antigen B, and antinuclear antibodies.
Conclusions: The epidemiology of SS is poorly characterized in Africa. Available data are broadly consistent with those from other populations. Extensive and high-quality research is urgently needed.
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