Trends in peripheral arterial disease incidence and mortality in EU15+ countries 1990-2017

The aim was to assess trends in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) incidence and mortality rates in European Union(15+) countries between 1990 and 2017.

This observational study used data obtained from the 2017 Global Burden of Disease study. Age-standardised mortality and incidence rates from PAD were extracted from the Global Health Data Exchange for EU15+ countries for the years 1990-2017. Trends were analysed using Joinpoint regression analysis.Between 1990 and 2017, the incidence of PAD decreased in all 19 EU15+ countries for females, and in 18 of 19 countries for males. Increasing PAD incidence was observed only for males in the United States (+1.4%). In 2017, the highest incidence rates were observed in Denmark and the United States for males (213.6 and 202.3 per 100,000, respectively) and in the United States and Canada for females (194.8 and 171.1 per 100,000, respectively). There was a concomitant overall trend for increasing age-standardised mortality rates in all EU15+ countries for females, and in 16 of 19 EU15+ countries for males between 1990 and 2017. Italy (-25.1%), Portugal (-1.9%) and Sweden (-0.6%) were the only countries with reducing PAD mortality rates in males. The largest increases in mortality rates were observed in the United Kingdom (males +140.4%, females +158.0%) and the United States (males +125.7%, females +131.2%).

We identify shifting burden of PAD in EU15+ countries, with increasing mortality rates despite reducing incidence. Strong evidence supports goal-directed medical therapy in reducing PAD mortality - population-wide strategies to improve compliance to optimal goal-directed medical therapy are warranted.