The Challenge in Burden of Pancreatitis Attributed to Alcohol Use: A Perspective From the Global Burden of Disease Study

Background Pancreatitis is a common digestive disease with a rising global incidence and mortality in recent years. Alcohol consumption is a major cause, but the alcohol-attributable burden varies across regions and populations. This study used GBD 2021 data to assess the global burden from 1990 to 2021 and project future trends to 2030 of pancreatitis attributed to alcohol use, aiming to inform targeted prevention strategies. Methods We analyzed GBD 2021 data to evaluate age-standardized mortality (ASMR), and age-standardized disability-adjusted life years rates (ASDR) of pancreatitis attributed to alcohol use. Regional trends, age, gender disparities, and correlations with the Socio-demographic Index (SDI) were examined. A Bayesian age-period-cohort model (BAPC) was used for future projections. Results In 2021, the global mortality number of pancreatitis attributable to alcohol use reached 18,749 cases, a substantial increase from 1990. Globally, ASMR and ASDR showed a modest decline, with decreases in High and High-middle SDI regions, but increases in Low, Low-middle, and Middle SDI regions, with the most pronounced rise in Low-middle SDI regions. Males exhibited a higher disease burden than females, particularly in the 45 to 49 age group. Significant regional variations were found, with Eastern Europe showing the highest ASMR and ASDR. Projections indicate continued declines in ASMR and ASDR through 2030. Conclusions These findings emphasize the critical need for targeted policies and public health interventions aimed at increasing awareness of pancreatitis attributed to alcohol use and curbing alcohol consumption, especially among high-risk populations such as males and in high-burden regions like Eastern Europe.