Global, regional, and national burden of chronic kidney diseasein youth and young adults aged 15–39 years :insights from the GBD 2021 study

Objective To evaluate the global burdenof chronic kidney disease (CKD) among adolescents and young adults (15–39 years)from 1990 to 2021, leveraging data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021study. Methods Data on prevalence, incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of CKD in 15–39 year olds in 204 countries from 1990 to 2021 were analyzed and modeled using data from GBD 2021. To assess temporal trends in these indicators, we used estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) calculations. Results From 1990 to 2021, the global burden of CKD among individuals aged 15–39 years increased significantly, with rising case numbers, prevalence, incidence, mortality, and DALYs—particularly among males. Medium socio-demographic Index(SDI) regions bore the highest overall CKD burden, while Low SDI regions had the worst mortality and DALY rates. In contrast, High SDI regions consistently showed the lowest burden. Demographic shifts (e.g., aging, population growth) were the primary drivers of this trend.Analysis of health inequalities shows that absolute inequalities in incidence, prevalence, mortality and DALYs for CKD have increased. Relative inequalities narrowed in incidence and prevalence and widened in mortality and DALYs. Conclusion CKD is a long-term condition requiring sustained management. Between 1990 and 2021, the global burden of CKD among individuals aged 15–39 years rose markedly, with pronounced disparities across SDI regions, nations, and sex. These findings underscore the necessity for targeted interventions and public health initiatives to address the escalating disease burden in young adults.