The Prevalence of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus in Yemen: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major global health challenge, and its co-occurrence with diabetes mellitus (DM) contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality. Yemen, a nation facing unique healthcare complexities, necessitates an in-depth investigation into the prevalence of cardiovascular risk (CVR) factors among its population with DM. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the prevalence of CVR factors among individuals with diabetes in Yemen, to understand and highlight the knowledge gap, and to influence targeted interventions and policies. This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Google Scholar, and African Journal Online (AJOL) databases. Medical subject headings (MeSH) terms and keywords related to DM, CVR factors, Yemen and prevalence were used. Studies published from inception to December 2020 were considered, with inclusion criteria including all Yemeni diabetic patients older than 18 years, and studies conducted in Yemen that provided sufficient data to calculate their corresponding confidence intervals. Data extraction and quality assessment were conducted independently by two investigators. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the prevalence of CVR factors among individuals with DM in Yemen. A meta-analysis was conducted to estimate pooled prevalence rates using random-effects models. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to address the scarcity of data on CVR factors among individuals with DM in Yemen. By synthesizing existing evidence, this research seeks to enhance our understanding of the cardiovascular health landscape in Yemen and provide crucial insights for healthcare interventions. These findings will contribute valuable evidence to inform strategies aimed at reducing CVD-related morbidity and mortality among Yemeni individuals with DM.