Disparities in high fasting plasma glucose-related cardiovascular disease burden in China

Abstract

Elaborating and understanding disparities in the burden of cardiovascular disease attributable to high fasting plasma glucose is important to improve diabetes prevention and promote cardiovascular health. In this study, we pool data on 791,373 people aged 25 years and older from three population-based surveys, and estimate the burden of cardiovascular disease attributable to high fasting plasma glucose between 2010 and 2018 in China by age, sex, region and socio-demographic index. In 2018, an estimated total of 498.61 thousand (95% uncertainty interval 463.93 to 534.12) cardiovascular disease-related deaths are attributable to high fasting plasma glucose in China. High fasting plasma glucose accounts for 1076.09 years of life lost per 100,000 people (95% uncertainty interval 1026.88-1129.04) due to cardiovascular disease in 2018, with substantial variation across provinces. In 2018, the higher age-standardised cardiovascular disease mortality rate attributable to high fasting plasma glucose is observed in the high-middle socio-demographic index region and the middle socio-demographic index region. Nationally, compared to 2010, exposure to high fasting plasma glucose and population aging in 2018 are the primary drivers of increased fasting plasma glucose-related deaths due to cardiovascular disease. Findings of this study emphasize the importance of developing population-specific tailored measures in China and other regions with similar condition.

Fig. 1. The twelve age groups as percentages of total CVD deaths attributable to high FPG nationally and in 31 provinces in 2010 and 2018.

(CVD: cardiovascular disease; FPG: fasting plasma glucose). Source data are provided as a Source Data file.

Fig. 2. Age-standardised CVD mortality rates attributable to high FPG in seven regions (A) and in territories with low-middle to high SDIs (B).

FPG: fasting plasma glucose; CVD: cardiovascular disease, SDI: sociodemographic index. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.

Fig. 3. Changes in CVD deaths attributable to FPG from 2010 to 2018 by province in China, according to the contributions of population growth, population ageing, exposure to high FPG, and risk-deleted mortality rate.

Black dots indicate the total percent change. FPG: fasting plasma glucose; CVD: cardiovascular disease. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.