Global, Regional, and National Burden of Atopic Dermatitis: Insights From the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Background: The 2017 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) report identified atopic dermatitis (AD) as the skin disease with the highest disease burden, assessed in terms of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and a modest increase in the number of AD-associated DALYs was observed in 2019 compared to 2017. Objective: This study aims to provide updated insights from the GBD 2021 database. Methods: Data on the prevalence and DALYs of AD in 2021 were extracted from the GBD database. Statistical analyses were performed by R software (version 4.4.1). Results: In 2021, AD still represented the highest age-standardized DALY rate (ASDR) among all skin disorders. Globally, the age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR) and ASDR of AD were 1728.5 (95% UI: 1658.5-1798.6) and 75.5 (95% UI: 38.8-125.6) per 100,000 population, respectively. The ASPR and ASDR were highest in high-income Asia Pacific but lowest in Central Sub-Saharan Africa. The burden of AD was mainly in children, declining with age; however, a modest rise in ASPR and ASDR was noted among the elderly. Women generally experienced a higher burden than men. Conclusions: In 2021, AD remained the leading cause of DALYs among skin diseases, disproportionately affecting children and older adults, especially in urban areas.