Table 3_Global, regional, and national burdens of pruritus in children and adolescents aged under 20 years from 1990 to 2021: a trend analysis.xlsx

ObjectiveThis study aims to analyze the global pruritus burden and trend among children and adolescents aged under 20 from 1990 to 2021 based on the existing Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 (GBD 2021) database.
MethodsThe incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) of pruritus in children and adolescents were retrieved from the GBD 2021 database. Per 100,000 population, the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR), age-standardized DALY rate (ASDR), and corresponding estimated annual percent change (EAPC) were calculated in different dimensions, including the sociodemographic index (SDI), gender, age (<5, 5–9, 9–14, and 15–19 years), and region. Frontier, decomposition, and inequality analyses and projections of pruritus burden up to 2045 were conducted.
ResultsIn 2021, 14899940.11 children and adolescents (including 12124676.85 new cases) suffered from pruritus, with an ASIR of 458.02, ASPR of 559.72, and ASDR of 6.09. Higher ASIR (510.85 vs. 408.33), ASPR (625.2 vs. 498.12), and ASDR (6.79 vs. 5.42) were found in females than in males, and they were projected to reach 525.47, 673.99, and 7.32 for females and 418.52, 535.95, and 5.86 for males in 2045. ASIR (411.47 to 526.3), ASPR (397.89 to 681.96), and ASDR (4.33 to 7.4) were all gradually increasing from the group with age younger than 5 years to the group with 15–19 years. Low SDI regions had the highest ASIR (493.99), ASPR (614.24), and ASDR (6.66). Eastern/Southern/Western Sub-Saharan Africa and the United Republic of Tanzania had the heaviest pruritus burden, whereas Germany had the lightest. Globally, EAPC showed annual increases of 0.32 for ASIR, 0.35 for ASPR, and 0.36 for ASDR; the most rapid escalation in ASIR was found in East Asia, ASPR and ASDR in Australasia among regions, and ASIR, ASPR, and ASDR were found in the Netherlands among countries.
ConclusionThe overall pruritus burden in children and adolescents has risen substantially from 1990 to 2021 and has increased with age, with females and individuals in low-SDI regions being more affected. The burden may continue to increase with population growth over the next 20 years. Further strengthening policies tackling burdensome pruritus is warranted, especially in East Asia, Australasia, and the Netherlands, where the pruritus burden in children and adolescents increases rapidly.