Background/Purpose: Osteoarthritis (OA) imposes a significant health burden globally, with India experiencing substantial demographic and epidemiological changes over the past three decades. This study addresses the lacuna in understanding OA trends in India, encompassing the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: We utilized data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 and applied standardized methodologies to estimate the incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to OA across India from 1990 to 2021. Non-fatal health outcomes were modeled using DISMOD MR 2.1, a meta-regression tool.

Results: Between 1990 and 2021, the prevalence of hip OA increased from 1.1 million (95% UI 0.8-1.4) to 3.6 million (2.8-4.7), knee OA from 17.4 million (14.8-19.9) to 48.4 million (41.6-55.2), and hand OA from 6.7 million (5.0-8.7) to 25.5 million (19.1-32.6). Age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR) increased by 15%, and DALYs rates (ADALR) by 20% over the study period. Statewide, Sikkim recorded the highest ASIR increase (25%), followed by Punjab (24%) and Kerala (23%), while Bihar showed the lowest increase (9%). For ADALR, Punjab (31%), Sikkim (29%), and Kerala (28%) exhibited the highest increases, with Delhi showing the lowest (11%). The highest prevalence was observed in the 60-64 age group (11.9 million, 10.2-13.5), with incidence highest in the 50-54 age group (1.04 million, 0.8-1.2) and DALYs highest in the 60-64 age group (0.4 million, 0.2-0.8) in 2021. Females experienced a higher burden increase compared to males, with prevalence (TPC: 213% vs. 175%), incidence (183% vs. 154%), and DALYs (219% vs. 179%) from 1990 to 2021.

Conclusion: This study provides comprehensive insights into the evolving burden of OA across India, highlighting significant increases in prevalence, incidence, and DALYs over the past three decades, exacerbated by demographic shifts and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Effective public health strategies are urgently needed to mitigate the growing burden of OA, particularly focusing on vulnerable populations and regions with the highest increases.

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ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/statewide-burden-of-osteoarthritis-in-india-and-its-trend-from-1990-2021-a-benchmarking-analysis/