Global burden of osteoarthritis among postmenopausal women in 204 countries and territories: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Abstract

Objectives: Our study aimed to provide global burden and temporal trends in the incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) of osteoarthritis (OA) among postmenopausal women from 1990 to 2021.

Methods: The study employed data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2021. Four subtypes of OA affecting the hip, knee, hand, and other joints among postmenopausal women were included. Age-standardised rates (ASRs) were derived with reference to the global age standard, and temporal patterns were scrutinised through estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) assessments. The impact of age, body mass index (BMI), and Socio-demographic Index (SDI) were all considered.

Results: From 1990 to 2021, there were more than 1.3-fold increases in OA incidence, prevalence, and DALYs among postmenopausal women globally, with EAPCs of 0.211, 0.356, and 0.395, respectively. Knee OA carried the heaviest burden, while hip OA bore the least. Higher SDI regions had higher burden, and inequalities linked to SDI among countries had intensified over time. East Asia and high-income Asia Pacific experienced the most substantial increments in OA burden. High BMI significantly influences the burden of OA, especially in countries within high, high-middle, and middle SDI, where DALYs attributed to high BMI exceed 20%.

Conclusions: The burden of OA among postmenopausal women continues to escalate, highlighting its significant impact on the global health of postmenopausal women. Necessarily, effective monitoring and management of risk factors, targeted lifestyle adjustments for BMI, and policy interventions accounting for demographic disparities are required to ease OA in postmenopausal women.

Keywords: Epidemiology.

Figure 1. Age-standardised DALY rates for osteoarthritis among postmenopausal women in 204 countries and territories in 2021.

Figure 2. Global age-standardised DALY rates for osteoarthritis between postmenopausal women and age-matched men, as well as younger women (35–54 years), across age groups in 2021.

Figure 3. Temporal change in age-standardised DALYs of osteoarthritis among postmenopausal women across age groups from 1990 to 2021.

Figure 4. Age-standardised DALYs rates for osteoarthritis among postmenopausal women for 21GBD regions by SDI in 2021.

Figure 5. Proportions of DALYs attributable to high BMI for osteoarthritis among postmenopausal women for global, 5 SDI categories and 21 regions in 1990 and 2021.