Global, regional, and national burden of ischemic heart disease in young and middle-aged population from 1990 to 2021.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Level is by design analogy (ecological/cross-sectional epidemiological modeling of GBD surveillance data, not a direct clinical cohort).
PubMed 41290905 · doi:10.1038/s41598-025-26248-x
What was done
The authors analyzed data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2021 to assess the burden of ischemic heart disease (IHD) in young and middle-aged adults aged 15 to 49 years from 1990 to 2021. They examined global, regional, and national prevalence, incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), alongside attributable risk factors by sex and region, measuring trends via age-standardized rates (ASR) and average annual percentage changes (AAPC).
What was found
From 1990 to 2021, the age-standardized prevalence rate and incidence rate of IHD in adults aged 15–49 increased, with AAPCs of 0.26% (95% CI, 0.24% to 0.29%) and 0.23% (95% CI, 0.09% to 0.38%), respectively. Conversely, age-standardized mortality and DALY rates declined, with AAPCs of -0.67% (95% CI, -0.91% to -0.44%) and -0.64% (95% CI, -0.87% to -0.42%). Countries with a low-middle socio-demographic index bore the highest burden, men experienced a higher burden than women, and dietary risks were identified as the leading attributable risk factor.
Why it matters
Although early-onset IHD mortality has declined globally, its incidence and prevalence are rising in adults under 50, highlighting an expanding chronic disease burden concentrated in men and lower-resource settings.
Limits
The study is an ecological modeling analysis reliant on GBD estimations, which are subject to variations in the completeness and accuracy of local primary data sources. The abstract reports only modeled rate changes without absolute case counts, DALY totals, or granular dietary risk estimates.
Cited by
- supports Diseases traditionally associated with aging, including cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, are increasingly occurring in teenagers and young adults in their 20s and 30s.