Genetic Determinants of Dyslipidemia in African-Based Populations: A Systematic Review

Identification of genetic/genomic factors contributing to dyslipidemia is of great interest to prevention and reduction of the onset and burden of cardiovascular diseases in Africa. This systematic review summarizes available data on genetic variants associated with dyslipidemia in populations within Africa. A PubMed and EMBASE database search was conducted to identify all studies published until June 2018 on genetic susceptibility to dyslipidemia in African-based populations, excluding familial hypercholesterolemia. All studies on genetic predispositions of dyslipidemia and respecting the preestablished inclusion criteria were included in this systematic review. Because of high heterogeneity, the data were summarized narratively. Twenty-two studies investigated mostly the targeted genetic variants. A total of 51 polymorphisms in 28 susceptibility genes to dyslipidemia have been associated with a particular trait in the African populations, and through variable effects. Most polymorphisms investigated in Northern Africa seemed to have consistent effects on increasing the level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), total cholesterol, and triglycerides in patients with diabetes, myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, and metabolic syndrome. By contrast, only Ser447Ter and C49620T variants were associated with increased LDL-C in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite few studies available in this context in the literature, certain genetic variants were consistently associated with dyslipidemia especially in Northern Africa as highlighted in this analysis. Further data, particularly from genome-wide association studies, would help establish an African-specific reference for genetic susceptibility markers of dyslipidemia.