A systematic review and meta-analysis of the etiology and treatment patterns of thyrotoxicosis in Africa.

Introduction: Thyrotoxicosis is one of the most common endocrine disorders seen in clinical practice. This study aims to determine the etiologies and treatment modalities of thyrotoxicosis in Africa.
Areas Covered: The study design is a systematic review with a meta-analysis. Medical databases and the gray literature were systematically searched following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies done in Africa on the etiology and treatment of thyrotoxicosis were selected.
Expert Opinion: In Africa, it is still believed that autoimmune diseases, generally, are not as common as what is seen in the western world. The frequency of Graves' disease is reportedly lower in Africa. The treatment of thyrotoxicosis depends on the cause. Therefore, it is of substantial importance to establish the etiology following the diagnosis of the clinical syndrome.