The global burden of osteoarthritis hand: lessons from the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990-2021

Hand osteoarthritis (HOA), a disabling musculoskeletal disorder, poses a significant global burden but remains understudied relative to other osteoarthritis (OA) subtypes. Using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 1990-2021, this analysis characterizes HOA epidemiology, temporal trends, and future projections.

GBD 2021 data on HOA incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were stratified by sex, age, Socio-demographic Index (SDI) regions, GBD regions, and countries. Temporal trends (1990-2021) were assessed via estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs), with future projections (2022-2046) generated using an age-period-cohort (APC) model.

In 2021, HOA accounted for 10.37 million incidence cases, 194.28 million prevalence cases, and 6.17 million DALYs. Female burdens were 1.8-2.0 times higher than males in absolute terms and 1.75-1.78 times higher in age-standardized rates (ASRs). Incidence cases peaked in advanced ages before declining, while prevalence/DALYs rose monotonically with age. Middle SDI regions had the highest absolute burdens, whereas high SDI regions showed the highest ASRs. Central Asia emerged as a burden hotspot, while minimal health system regions and sub-Saharan Africa had the lowest rates. From 1990 to 2021, global incidences increased 142%. Low/middle-income regions (such as South Asia) saw significant increases, contrasting with declines in high-income areas (such as Western Europe). APC projections indicate continued growth through 2046, with male/female incidences rising 69.6%/51.6% and ASRs increasing for both sexes.

HOA represents a growing global challenge with pronounced sex/age/regional disparities. Targeted interventions in high-burden regions, aging populations, and risk factor management are critical to mitigate projected burden increases.