Global burden and health inequalities of acute glomerulonephritis from 1990 to 2021: a systematic analysis of Global Burden Disease Study 2021.

BACKGROUND

Acute glomerulonephritis (GN) is an acute episode of glomerular injury that affects both children and older adults. However, up-to-date data on its incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) remain limited. This study aims to provide the latest global trends and underlying health inequalities associated with acute GN.

METHODS

Incidence, prevalence, mortality, and DALYs per 100,000 population were reported at global, regional, and national levels, along with the Estimated Annual Percentage Change (EAPC). Global trends were analyzed by age, sex, and sociodemographic index (SDI), with forward projections estimated for the year 2040.

RESULTS

Globally, there were 528,368 (95% Uncertainty Interval [UI], 446,739 to 613,211) incident cases, 35,452 (95% UI, 30,151 to 41,655) prevalent cases, 10,761 (95% UI, 7,668 to 13,463) deaths, and 312,303 (95% UI, 208,981 to 393,514) DALYs attributed to acute GN in 2021. Children aged <14 years and older adults aged >85 years experienced the most severe burden. Frontier analysis revealed that middle SDI countries had the greatest potential to reduce the disease burden. Although the disease burden of acute GN has declined over the past three decades, our projections indicate that its incidence and prevalence will increase by 2040 due to population growth and aging.

CONCLUSION

The global disease burden of acute GN has decreased; however, population growth and aging may be associated with rising incidence and prevalence by 2040. Middle SDI regions bear a disproportionate burden of acute GN, particularly among children and older adults.