The burden and outcomes of COVID-19 among patients with comorbid disease in Africa: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Introduction Coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak is now a global public health concern. It has contributed to an enormous adverse impact both in developed and developing countries. In Africa, the total number of confirmed cases was 1, 022, 401 cases, 704,704 recovered, and 22, 501 deaths. People with comorbidities are at increased risk of its complications, and COVID-19-related death. Evidence on the burden and outcome of Coronavirus Disease among patients with comorbid diseases has not been published in Africa. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis will be expected to quantify the burden and outcome of COVID-19 among patients with comorbid diseases in Africa. Methods Observational studies reporting the burden and outcome of COVD-19 among patients with comorbid diseases in Africa will be included. Online databases search technique will be applied using (PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, HINARI, Cochrane Library, World Health Organization COVID-19 database, Africa Wide Knowledge, and Web of Science). Two independent authors carried out data extraction and assess the risk of bias using a predetermined and structured method of data collection. Disagreements will be resolved by discussion after mutual consensus with a third reviewer who is an experienced researcher (AH) in meta-analysis studies. We will use random-effects to estimate the overall burden and outcome of COVID-19 among patients with comorbid diseases in Africa. To assess possible publication bias, funnel plot test and Egger’s test methods will be used. This systematic review and meta-analysis protocol will be reported based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis protocol guidelines. Results will be stratified by the African geographic region, diagnostic methods, and comorbidity. Discussion The description will be used to show the COVID-19 distribution data by interest variables such as residence/geographic region, diagnostic methods, type of comorbidity, and outcomes of comorbidity. The findings of this review will notify health care professionals about the burden and outcome of COVID -19 among patients with comorbid diseases while providing evidence to bring about the requisite improvements in clinical practice for patients with comorbid diseases. Systematic review registration This review is registered in the PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic reviews with the registration number of CRD42020202229.