Global, Regional, and National Burden of Gout, 1990-2021: an Analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Aim: The global incidence rate of gout has shown a consistent increase, requiring an in-depth study of potential risk factors at the national and regional levels. This study uses data from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease, Injury, and Risk Factors Study to analyze the incidence trend of gout, in order to reveal the global disease burden of gout and provide a basis for optimizing prevention and control strategies for healthcare systems. Subject and Methods: This study collected data on gout from 1990 to 2021. Conduct decomposition analysis and frontier analysis to determine the changing trends of various indicators and their influencing factors. Results: According to global data in 2021, the number of incidence cases of gout reached 9,401,585 (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 7,438,817-11,731,815 cases), and the number of prevalence cases was 56,474,572 (95% UI: 45,161,987-70,288,316 cases). The number of cases of DALYs was 1,747,546 (95% UI: 1,186,175-2,484,547 cases), an increase by 17.15-21.86% since 1990. Further analysis of the data from 1990 to 2021 showed that the estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) of the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR), and age-standardized disability-adjusted life-year rate (ASDR) were 0.67 (95% UI: 0.61-0.73), 0.87 (95% UI: 0.8-0.95), and 0.86 (95% UI: 0.78-0.93), respectively. There were more male cases than female cases, and the growth rate was higher in males than in females. However, the rising trend of the global incidence and disability burden of gout in women needs attention. Conclusion: With social progress, the burden of gout increases, mainly due to population growth and aging. Gout is associated with a high body mass index. Weight loss diets and lifestyle adjustments need to be promoted to reduce health burdens and prevent recurrences.