Incidence and prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis

• Published in: European journal of epidemiology 2024-07, Vol.39 (7), p.701-714
• Main Authors: Ji, Qianqian, Chen, Jingqi, Li, Yafei, Tao, Enxiang, Zhan, Yiqiang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Alzheimer Disease - epidemiology; Alzheimer's disease; Cardiology; China - epidemiology; Cognitive ability; Demographics; Demography; Epidemiology; Female; Heterogeneity; Humans; Incidence; Infectious Diseases; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Meta-analysis; Neurodegenerative diseases; Oncology; Prevalence; Public Health; Regression analysis; Review; Risk Factors; Subgroups; Systematic review
• ISSN: 0393-2990; 1573-7284; 1573-7284
• DOI: 10.1007/s10654-024-01144-2

As China faces demographic shifts and socioeconomic changes, the burden of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and associated cognitive impairments is increasing dramatically, with significant implications for public health and the economy. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of the prevalence and incidence of AD across China. Drawing from an extensive search of international and Chinese databases up to August 27, 2023, including PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library, we synthesized data from 105 studies. Our analysis reveals a combined prevalence of AD of 3.48% within a sample of 626,276 elderly individuals and an incidence rate of 7.90 per 1000 person-years. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses highlight age and gender as pivotal factors influencing these epidemiological patterns. Notably, significant heterogeneity exists due to variations in diagnostic criteria and study quality, impacting the comparability of findings. This meta-analysis underscores the need for continued research into demographic and modifiable risk factors influencing AD, while emphasizing standardized reporting practices to address these limitations and improve the understanding of AD’s challenge in China.