Trends in the Prevalence and Development of Alzheimer's Disease Among the Elderly Chinese Population: A Systematic Review.

Abstract

Introduction: Dementia is a major global health challenge, with Alzheimer's disease (AD) being the most common cause.In China, due to its large and aging population, AD poses a significant threat. Although systematic reviews on the prevalence of dementia in the Chinese population exist, relatively few have specifically targeted AD. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of AD among the population aged 60 years and older in China from 2014 to 2024.

Methods: A literature search on the prevalence of AD in China was conducted. A meta-analysis was performed using Stata version 16.0. The I² was used to assess heterogeneity. The random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled effect size. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on different characteristics. Meta-regression was used to explore the sources of heterogeneity and identify the factors that significantly affect the effect size. Funnel plots and Egger's test were utilized to evaluate publication bias.

Results: A total of 23 studies were included, with a total sample size of 307,415, including 13,662 patients with AD. The results of the meta-analysis showed that the prevalence of AD among the elderly Chinese population was 5.4% (95% CI: 4.7%-6.2%). The results of the meta-regression indicated that factors such as female sex, advanced age, low educational level, rural residence, and geographical region are the main factors influencing the prevalence of AD.

Conclusion: In the past decade, the prevalence of AD among people over 60 years of age in China was approximately 5.4%, which is a major public health problem for China.