Global, regional, and national burden of thalassemia, 1990-2021: a systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study 2021

Abstract

Background: Anemia is a significant contributor to the global disease burden, of which thalassemia is the most common hereditary anaemic disease. Previous estimates were based on data that were geographically limited and lacked comprehensive global analysis. This study provides the prevalence, incidence, mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of thalassemia in 204 countries and regions of thalassemia between 1990 and 2021, focusing on the age structure and time trends of the disease burden. To provide effective information for health policy, allocation of medical resources and optimization of patient management programs.

Methods: Using the standardised Global Burden of Disease (GBD) methodologies, we aimed to derive a more precise representation of the health burden posed by thalassemia by considering four distinct types of epidemiological data, namely the incidence at birth, prevalence, mortality and DALYs. The presented data were meticulously estimated and displayed both as numerical counts and as age-standardised rates per 100,000 persons of the population, accompanied by uncertainty interval (UI) to highlight potential statistical variability. The temporal trends spanning the years 1990-2021 were subjected to a rigorous examination utilizing Joinpoint regression analysis. This methodological approach facilitated the computation of the annual percentage change (APC) and the average annual percentage change (AAPC), along with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Findings: Globally, the age-standardized prevalence rates (ASPR), age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR), age-standardized mortality rates (ASMR), and age-standardized DALYs rates for thalassemia in 2021 were 18.28 per 100,000 persons (95% UI 15.29-22.02), 1.93 per 100,000 persons (95% UI 1.51-2.49), 0.15 per 100,000 persons(95% UI 0.11-0.20), and 11.65 per 100,000 persons (95% UI 8.24-14.94), respectively. Compared to 1990, these rates have decreased by 0.18 (95% UI -0.22 to -0.14), 0.25 (95% UI -0.30 to -0.19), 0.48 (95% UI -0.60 to -0.28), and 0.49 (95% UI -0.62 to -0.29) respectively. In 2021, the ASIR of thalassemia was highest in East Asia at 7.35 per 100,000 persons (95% UI 5.37-10.04), and ASMR was highest in Southeast Asia at 0.37 per 100,000 persons (95% UI 0.29-0.45).Gender comparisons showed negligible differences in disease burden, with the highest prevalence noted in children under five, decreasing with age. The global ASPR and ASMR declined from 1990 to 2021 overall, though an increasing trend in prevalence was found among the elderly. Joinpoint analysis revealed that the global ASPR increased between 2018 and 2021 (APC = 9.2%, 95% CI: 4.8%-13.8%, P < 0.001), ASIR decreased (APC = -7.68%, 95% CI: -10.88% to -4.36%, P < 0.001), and there was a significant rise in ASMR from 2019 to 2021 (APC = 4.8%, 95% CI: 0.1%-9.6%, P < 0.05). Trends in ASPR and ASMR varied across regions, with notable changes in South Asia.

Interpretation: The global burden of thalassemia, reflected in its prevalence, incidence, mortality, and DALYs, exhibits significant disparities. Geographic and demographic shifts in disease distribution have been observed from 1990 to 2021, with an overall decrease in burden, yet an increase in cases among the elderly population. Analysis of epidemiological trends over time highlights the influence of health policies and significant public health interventions on thalassemia outcomes. There data are crucial for healthcare professionals, policymakers, and researchers to refine and enhance management strategies, aiming to further mitigate thalassemia's global impact.

Funding: National Natural Science Foundation of China; Guizhou Province Science and Technology Project; Guizhou Province Science and Technology Foundation of Health Commission.

Keywords: Age structure analysis; Epidemiology; Joinpoint regression analysis; Thalassemia.

Fig. 1

Global distribution of thalassemia disease burden in 2021. (A) Age-standardized prevalence rates; (B) Age-standardized incidence rates; (C) Age-standardized mortality rates; (D) Age-standardized DALYs rates.

Fig. 2

Sex- and age-structured analysis of thalassemia disease burden in 2021. (A) Prevalence rates; (B) Incidence rates; (C) Mortality rates; (D) DALYs rates.

Fig. 3

Global temporal trends in Thalassemia disease burden, 1990–2021. (A) Prevalence rates in all age groups; (B) Mortality rates in all age groups; (C–H) Trends in age-group-specific prevalence rates for Thalassemia. (C)＜5 years; (D) 5–14 years; (E) 15–39 years; (F) 40–44 years; (G) 45–49 years; (H) 50–59 years.

Fig. 4

Joinpoint regression analysis of the thalassemia disease burden temporal trends, 1990–2021. (A) Age-standardized prevalence rates; (B) Age-standardized incidence rates; (C) Age-standardized mortality rates; (D) Age-standardized DALYs rates; (E) Age-standardized prevalence rates and (F) Age-standardized mortality rates of thalassemia in four regions (Central Europe, eastern Europe, and central Asia, Latin America and Caribbean, South Asia, Southeast Asia, east Asia, and Oceania), 1990–2021.