Global, regional, and national burden and attributable risk factors of neurological disorders: The Global Burden of Disease study 1990-2019

Chenyu Ding; Yuying Wu; Xiaoyong Chen; Yue Chen; Zanyi Wu; Zhangya Lin; Dezhi Kang; Wenhua Fang; Fa Chen

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2022.952161

Global, regional, and national burden and attributable risk factors of neurological disorders: The Global Burden of Disease study 1990-2019

Front Public Health. 2022 Nov 29:10:952161. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.952161. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Chenyu Ding^{1

2

3}, Yuying Wu⁴, Xiaoyong Chen^{1

2

3}, Yue Chen^{1

2

3}, Zanyi Wu^{1

2

3}, Zhangya Lin^{1

2

3}, Dezhi Kang^{1

2

3}, Wenhua Fang^{1

2

3}, Fa Chen⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
² Fujian Provincial Institutes of Brain Disorders and Brain Sciences, The First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
³ Department of Neurosurgery, National Regional Medical Center, Binhai Campus of the First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
⁴ Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.

Abstract

Background: Neurological disorders are a major and increasing global health challenge, which accounts for a substantial portion of the disease burden worldwide. The aim of this systematic analysis is to present the most comprehensive and up-to-date estimates of disease burden, epidemiological trends, and attributable risk factors of neurological disorders at global, regional, and national levels.

Methods: We extracted data of 18 neurological disorders from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study database. The burden of neurological disorders was measured using the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and further described according to age, sex, year, geographical location and socio-demographic Index (SDI). All estimates were presented with corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs).

Findings: Globally, in 2019, there were nearly 10 million deaths and 349 million DALYs due to neurological disorders. Among the 18 neurological disorders, stroke was the biggest contributor to DALYs (143232.18 [95%UI 133095.81-153241.82] in thousands) and deaths (6552.72 [95%UI 5995.20-7015.14] in thousands), followed by neonatal encephalopathy due to birth asphyxia and trauma. From 1990 to 2019, the DALYs of neurological diseases belonging to the communicable, maternal, neonatal and nutritional categories showed a sharp decrease, while Alzheimer's disease and other dementias and Parkinson's disease showed a large increase. Neurological disorders exhibited different profiles in different regions and age groups. A significant correlation between the SDI and the age-standardized DALY rates was also found except for Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. In addition, risk factors such as high systolic blood pressure, low birth weight and short gestation period, and metabolic risk contribute significantly to neurological disorders.

Interpretation: The overall burden of neurological disorders has increased from 1990 to 2019, especially for non-communicable neurological disorders. The substantial variations of burden across regions emphasize the need for region-specific interventional strategies and allocation of resources based on priorities.

Keywords: DALYs; global burden; neurological disorders; risk factors; socio-demographic index.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Alzheimer Disease*
Global Burden of Disease
Humans
Nervous System Diseases* / epidemiology
Quality-Adjusted Life Years
Risk Factors