The Burden of Neurological Diseases in Asia: An Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Abstract

Background: The global burden of diseases (GBD) of neurological disorders is increasing worldwide. The purpose of this study is to determine the burden of neurological disorders between 1990 and 2019 in Asian regions. Methods: The GBD study is updated every year, and the most recent version provides the burden of diseases according to age, gender, and region from 1990 to 2019. The burden of neurological disorders was totally and separately evaluated as incidence, prevalence, death, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), years of life lost, and years lived with disability. Findings: In 2019, DALYs of neurological diseases were 64.4 million in South-East Asia (95% UI 45 ∙2-94∙2) and 85∙0 million in Western pacific regions (95% UI 63∙0-118∙5). The three neurological diseases with the highest DALYs in WHO South-East Asia and WHO Western pacific regions in 2019 were stroke, migraine, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. DALYs of stroke and Alzheimer's disease and other dementia, Parkinson’s disease, brain and central nervous system cancer, multiple sclerosis, migraine, and tension type headache increased in both regions in 2019 compared to 1990. Infectious diseases such as tetanus, meningitis, encephalitis decreased in both regions. DALYs of idiopathic epilepsy and motor neuron disease increased in the WHO South-East Asia region and decreased in the WHO Western Pacific region. Interpretation: This study demonstrated the burden of neurological diseases in Asia. To reduce the burden of neurologic disease, a strategy suited to the reality of each country will be needed, and this study can serve as the cornerstone of the strategy. Funding: This work was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (NRF-2021R1F1A1048113 to T-JS). Declaration of Interest: None to declare.