BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD)
Crohn's disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC)) are global diseases. There is a paucity of knowledge about the burden and epidemiology of IBD in Africa. We performed a scoping review of the published literature on IBD in Africa to identify burden, risk factors, and outcomes as well as knowledge gaps. METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, AIM, Africa Wide, Cochrane and ClinicalTrials.gov in November 2024. Studies were screened and selected based on predefined inclusion criteria. Data extraction was conducted using Covidence. Literature was summarized focusing on the incidence and prevalence, environmental factors, diagnosis, outcomes, and management of IBD. RESULTS: Out of 6,896 references identified, a total of 268 studies met inclusion criteria. This included data from 21,089 patients with IBD (10,426 CD, 7,956 UC, 329 Unspecified IBD, 2,378 uncategorized IBD). There were few studies examining temporal incidence of IBD
in the sparse available data, a similar increase was notable as seen in the West. Studies of genetics and environment revealed many shared findings from known associations from western cohorts (such as environmental hygiene) but highlight some differences as well. Use of biologic or advanced therapy was sparse. CONCLUSION: We identified a paucity of publications regarding the risk factors, burden, and outcomes of IBD in Africa. There were few prospective studies and regional variations in representation. There is a need for more prospective data to inform our knowledge and management strategies accurately.