Global burden of moyamoya syndrome in pediatric sickle cell disease and implications for the neurosurgical workforce: a systematic review.

What was studied

This systematic review estimated the global burden of moyamoya syndrome. It looked at children with sickle cell disease. The authors also estimated how many children may need a specialist check for brain surgery. They found 6,845 studies and used 14. The 2045 children with sickle cell disease were aged 1-21 years. The team projected burden by WHO region.

What they found

Among 279 children with both conditions, some had surgery to restore blood flow. The projected number of cases worldwide was 36,587. About 18,219 of them might benefit from surgery. The African region had the largest number, at 32,189 projected cases. Of these, 16,030 were candidates for surgical consideration.

What it means for patients

The authors say most of the burden is in Africa. There, sickle cell care capacity is often limited. They say better capacity for diagnosis, screening and medical care is required. They say a strong neurosurgical base is also required.

Why it is not certain yet

These are projections from a limited set of studies. The studies came from a narrow spread of regions. The authors say the estimates should be seen as exploratory.

Source

Global burden of moyamoya syndrome in pediatric sickle cell disease and implications for the neurosurgical workforce: a systematic review.

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