A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis on the burden of neonatal seizures in Nigeria

Abstract

Neonatal seizures are a significant contributor to neonatal morbidity and mortality in Nigeria and the magnitude of the burden is unknown. A comprehensive systematic review is needed to determine the pooled magnitude and causes of neonatal seizures in Nigeria since the true estimate is yet to be determined. Therefore, this study aims to develop a protocol to assess the burden and causes of neonatal seizures in Nigeria.

A search strategy is developed using MeSH terms, text words, and entry terms. Nine databases will be searched including Pub- Med, African journals online, Google Scholar, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, EMBASE, Psych Info, Web of Science, Scopus, and Research Gate. Only observational studies, retrievable in the English language and conducted in Nigerian neonates will be included. The primary outcome of this study is the pooled prevalence of neonatal seizures in Nigeria. The secondary outcomes include the seizure types, causes, method of detection, and outcome in the neonates. Screening of identified studies will be done in End Note version 20 and duplicates removed, before exporting to Microsoft 365 excel sheet for data extraction by independent reviewers. Studies will be assessed for methodological, clinical, and statistical heterogeneity and if required, a meta-analysis will be done. Stata 16 IC will be used for data analysis. Various subgroup analyses will also be done. A funnel plot will be used for the assessment of publication bias. Results will be presented in tabular formats, narrative synthesis, and regression plots.

The data from this review will reveal the pooled prevalence of neonatal seizures in Nigeria. It will create an avenue for discussion on the types, causes, and outcome of neonatal seizures. The findings will also enable discussions on how to address the causes of neonatal seizures in Nigeria and provide evidence for policy recommendations to reduce morbidity and mortality resulting from neonatal seizures in Nigeria.

Trial registration number: This protocol is registered in PROSPERO with registration number CRD42020220097.