Abstract
BACKGROUND: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common chronic digestive disorder with a growing epidemiological footprint worldwide. However, the specific characteristics and burden of GERD in East Asia, particularly in China, remain insufficiently documented. METHODS: This study conducted a comprehensive assessment of the incidence, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and prevalence of GERD in China and East Asia using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) project from 1990 to 2021. We applied cross-national comparisons, longitudinal temporal analyses, and subgroup analyses to examine the disease burden in East Asia, particularly in China. Additionally, cutting-edge analytical methods were employed to forecast the disease burden trends from 2022 to 2046. RESULTS: In 2021, the East Asian recorded 396,791,145 new cases of GERD, accounting for 12.24% of the global total. China contributed 9.99%, 9.88%, and 9.85% of the global incidence, DALYs, and prevalence, respectively, establishing itself as the highest number of cases in East Asia. From 1990 to 2021, China experienced rising crude rates of incidence, DALYs, and prevalence, alongside a significant rise in total case numbers. The GERD burden was more pronounced in Chinese women than in men, particularly within the age groups of 50-59 and 30-34. The incidence for middle-aged and younger adults surpassed those reported in Japan and Republic of Korea. Projections suggest that, in contrast to the stable age-standardized incidence anticipated in Japan and Republic of Korea, both the total number of cases and the age-standardized incidence of GERD in China are expected to continue rising until 2046. Notably, a strong positive correlation was observed between the Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) and both age-standardized DALYs (r = 0.822, p < 0.001) and incidence(r = 0.824, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: GERD poses a substantial and growing public health challenge in East Asia, particularly in China, with high crude incidence, DALYs, and prevalence estimates. The burden is higher among young and middle-aged women in China, underscoring the need for targeted clinical and preventive strategies in this demographic.