Magnitude and temporal trend of acne vulgaris burden in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019: an analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Acne vulgaris is widespread across the world. Mapping the latest magnitudes and temporal trends of acne vulgaris provides the essential foundation for targeted public policies at the national, regional and global levels. Objectives In compliance with the framework of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, this study aimed to summarize the incidence, prevalence, DALYs and the corresponding secular trends of acne vulgaris by sex and age group in 204 countries from 1990 to 2019. Methods The average annual percentage change was calculated to depict the temporal trends in age-standardized rates (ASRs) of acne vulgaris burden by region, sex and age. Results Globally, it was estimated that there were 117 center dot 4 million [95% uncertainty interval (UI) 103 center dot 0-133.7] incident cases of acne vulgaris, 231 center dot 2 million (95% UI 208 center dot 2-255 center dot 5) prevalent cases and 5 center dot 0 (95% UI 3 center dot 0-7 center dot 9) million DALYs, with an increase of approximately 48% compared with 1990. Moreover, the overall ASRs of acne vulgaris increased by approximately 0 center dot 55% annually over the past three decades. We observed large disparities in ASRs of acne vulgaris with changing trends in sex, location and age. The ASR of acne vulgaris among women was around 1 center dot 3 times that of men, but the sex difference was narrowed because of the pronounced increase among men. The ASRs of acne vulgaris were higher in high-income regions, but the increasing trend was more pronounced in other regions. Conclusions The burden rate of acne vulgaris continues to increase in almost all countries. Understanding the specific characteristics of acne vulgaris burden is essential to formulate more effective and targeted interventions for controlling acne burden.

Automated summary

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the incidence, prevalence, DALYs, and trends of acne vulgaris globally. The burden of acne vulgaris is increasing, and there are significant differences in burden based on gender, location, and age.