Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Incidence in Adolescents and Young Adults Aged 10-24 Years: Results from the Global Burden of Disease Study.

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the global incidence and temporal trends of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in adolescents and young adults. It also sought to identify demographic and socio-economic factors associated with these trends.

Methods: GERD incidence data for individuals aged 10-24 were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease Study, covering 204 countries. Temporal trends were assessed using estimated annual percentage change (EAPC). Incidence was stratified by age group, sex, region, and socio-demographic index (SDI). Spearman correlation was used to examine associations between EAPC and baseline incidence or SDI.

Results: Globally, GERD incidence in youth rose from 30.07 million cases in 1990 to 40.36 million in 2021, with the rate increasing from 1943.27 to 2137.83 per 100,000 population (EAPC: 0.36). The highest burden occurred in the 20-24 age group, and females had consistently higher rates than males. Low and low-middle SDI regions showed the greatest increase in case numbers, with over 140% growth in the low SDI group. In 2021, the highest country-specific rates were in Chile, Colombia, and Costa Rica, while Japan, Norway, and China had the lowest. EAPC was positively correlated with baseline incidence in 1990 (ρ = 0.209, P = 0.003), suggesting greater increases in countries with initially high burden. No significant association was found between EAPC and SDI (ρ =  - 0.024, P = 0.732).

Conclusion: GERD is increasingly prevalent among adolescents and young adults, particularly in low- and middle-income regions. These trends highlight the need for early clinical recognition and context-specific public health interventions.