National burden of motor neuron disease in China from 1990 to 2023: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023

BACKGROUND: As a neurodegenerative disease, motor neuron disease (MND) is associated with a poor prognosis and imposes substantial economic and social burdens. Currently, hospital admissions for MND show rapid growth in China, yet assessments of the national disease burden of China remain insufficient. Therefore, we aims to systematically evaluate the disease burden of MND in China. METHODS: Using the data from Global Burden of Diseases 2023 (GBD 2023), we analyzed the incidence, prevalence, mortality, years of life lost (YLL), years lived with disability (YLD), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALY) of MND in China from 1990 to 2023. Decomposition analysis was used to quantify factors influenced disease burden. And locally weighted regression was used to estimate the relationship between socio-demographic index (SDI) and age-standardized rate due to MND. RESULTS: In 2023, China reported 8,085 incidence cases [95% uncertainty interval (UI): 6,546-9,782], 35,838 (95% UI: 28,946 to 43,309) prevalent cases and 2659 (95% UI: 1674 to 4876) deaths due to MND. Crude rates of prevalence, mortality and YLD in 2023 significantly exceeded 1990 levels. During 1990 to 2023, the age-standardised prevalence (ASPR) and age-standardised YLD rate of MND in China increased by 13.91% and 13.90%, respectively. In contrast, the age-standardised incidence rate (ASIR), the age-standardised mortality rate (ASMR) age-standardised YLL rate and age-standardised DALY rate (ASDR) for MND had significantly decreased. The burden of MND increased progressively with age in both sexes, with males exhibiting a higher burden than females in 2023. In China, the total MND-related deaths increased by 66.10% from 1990 to 2023, driven by rises in age-specific motality rates (3.13%), population growth (21.33%), and population aging (41.64%). And a negative association was observed between SDI and the age-standardized rates of incidence, prevalence, mortality, YLL, YLD, and DALY due to MND in China. CONCLUSIONS: The increase in ASPR and age-standardised YLD rate, despite the decline in ASIR, ASMR and ASDR and age-standardised YLL rate, which might confirms the extended survival rate of MND patients in China, which can be attributed to demographic transitions, advancements in diagnostic techniques, and improved therapeutic interventions. It is very important to study the accurate epidemiological data on MND for clinical diagnosis and treatment and health policy.