The escalating burden of osteoarthritis in East and Southeast Asia: an information-analytical study from the GBD 2021

Report on the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR), and age-standardized disability-adjusted life years (ASDR) of osteoarthritis and their trends at the global, regional, and national levels using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 study.

We conducted a cross-sectional study to assess the burden of osteoarthritis in relation to age, sex, and socio-demographic indices (SDI) using data from the GBD 2021 study. The ASIR, ASPR, and ASDR at global, regional, and national levels were extracted. The estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) from 1990 to 2021 was then calculated using SDIs, complemented by cluster and frontier analyses.

In 2021, there were 606.98 million cases of osteoarthritis globally, with the ASIR increasing from 489.78 to 535 cases per 100,000 individuals between 1990 and 2021 (EAPC 0.33 [95% CI: 0.31-0.35]). This considerable rise was evident across all age groups (especially within the middle-aged group aged 30-60 years), gender groups, SDI quintiles and GBD regions. The East and Southeast Asian regions are concurrently experiencing a notable surge in the ASIR, ASPR, and ASDR associated with osteoarthritis. Frontier analyses indicate that Japan and Singapore possess the highest unrealized health potential.

By 2021, the global burden of osteoarthritis had shifted substantially toward East and Southeast Asia, with an especially pronounced surge among middle-aged adults (30-60 years). These observations underscore the imperative for clinicians to recognize osteoarthritis as an emerging midlife health challenge in these regions, calling for earlier diagnosis, tailored preventive strategies, and revised clinical guidelines to address this evolving demographic landscape. Key Points • This study reveals a sharply escalating burden of osteoarthritis among middle-aged adults (30-60 years) in East and Southeast Asia, underscoring an urgent need for clinicians to strengthen early detection and optimize management strategies in this population. • The migration of osteoarthritis's epicenter to Asia underscores the pressing need for region-specific clinical guidelines and interventions, particularly in nations with substantial unmet health potential such as Japan and Singapore.