Abstract WP061: Changes in the Disease Burden of Ischemic Stroke in Countries with Different Levels of Aging in the Western Pacific Region

Objective: Ischemic stroke, as the leading stroke type, plays a crucial role in global health planning. This study aims to describe ischemic stroke burden in 31 Western Pacific countries, stratified by aging levels, based on data from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) . Methods: Data on ischemic stroke mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) (including 95% uncertainty intervals) were derived from the GBD 2021 report. The study analyzes ischemic stroke trends from 1990 to 2021 in 31 countries, stratified by aging population levels. Results: In 2021, ischemic stroke resulted in 1.42 million deaths and 28 million DALYs in the Western Pacific region. From 1990 to 2021, both age-standardized mortality and DALY rates generally declined, except in some aging countries, including Vietnam, American Samoa, and Kiribati, where rates rose. In China, age-standardized mortality fell from 75.22 per 100,000 in 1990 to 64.47 per 100,000 in 2021, while DALYs decreased from 1,388 per 100,000 to 1,181 per 100,000, with an annual change of -0.47% and -0.50%, respectively. Vietnam had the highest age-standardized mortality rate in 2021 (96 per 100,000) with a 0.47% annual increase, and the highest DALY rate (1,642 per 100,000), also increasing at 0.47% annually. Singapore had the lowest rates: 7 deaths per 100,000 and 206 DALYs per 100,000, with annual decreases of -6.52% and -5.61%, respectively. Conclusion: From 1990 to 2021, ischemic stroke mortality and DALYs increased in the Western Pacific, but age-standardized rates decreased, indicating effective treatment interventions. Aging countries, especially China, saw accelerated increases in mortality and DALYs. Continued investment in prevention and management is needed, particularly in aging populations, to address the ongoing rise in ischemic stroke burden.