Burden of cardiovascular disease attributable to lead exposure in China: a comprehensive analysis of data from 1990 to 2019

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) caused by lead pollution exposure in China from 1990 to 2019.

Methods: Utilizing data from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 (GBD 2019), this research examines the changes in the number of CVD deaths, deaths rates, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and DALY rates, as well as their age-normalization rates, due to lead pollution exposure in China from 1990 to 2019. Joinpoint was used to estimate average annual percentage of change (AAPC) and reflect the time change trend of the burden of CVD caused by lead pollution exposure in China, the world and different socio-demographic index (SDI) regions.

Results: The age-standardized mortality rate and age-standardized DALY rate showed a decreasing trend in China from 1990 to 2019, with an average annual decrease of -1.17% (95% confidence interval (CI): -3.49~-3.14, P<0.05) and -1.90% (95% CI: -2.04~-1.75, P<0.05), respectively. In 2019, age-standardized CVD mortality and DALY rates attributed to lead exposure in China were higher than those in the global, high-SDI, medium-high SDI and moderate SDI regions. In 2019, 5.94% of CVD deaths in China were caused by lead exposure. Compared to 1990, the number of attributable deaths and mortality increased by 0.73% and 0.44%, respectively, and the attributable DALY and DALY rates increased by 30.04% and 8.22%, respectively. From 1990 to 2019, the mortality rate and DALY rate of males were higher than those of females, and the mortality rate and DALY rate increased with the increase of age, reaching the highest in the age group of 70 years and above.

Conclusion: In 2019, the standardized death rate of CVD and the standardized DALY rate attributed to lead pollution exposure in China were higher than those in the global regions with high SDI, medium-high SDI and medium SDI. The findings highlight demographic disparities in CVD deaths and DALYs attributable to lead exposure, with males and the elderly identified as high-risk groups.

Keywords: Lead exposure; air pollution; cardiovascular diseases; disability-adjusted life years; disease burden.

Figure 1

The tread in age-standardized death rates attributed to lead exposure in China, Global and different SDI regions from 1990-2019. Note: SDI: socio-demographic index.

Figure 2

The tread in age-standardized DALY rates attributed to lead exposure in China, Global and different SDI regions from 1990-2019. Note: DALY: disability-adjusted life years; SDI: socio-demographic index.