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Type 2 diabetes

Diabetic Kidney Disease Burden in China Shows Dual Trajectory

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Diabetic kidney disease is a major public health concern in China, with significant impacts on the country's vast population. A recent study published in BMC Public Health has analyzed the burden of diabetic kidney disease in China from 1990 to 2021, revealing a dual trajectory of declining mortality in type 1 diabetes-related diabetic kidney disease and rising incidence of type 2 diabetes-related diabetic kidney disease. The research suggests that this epidemiological divergence is associated with China's population size, demographic aging, and evolving risk profiles. The study's findings have important implications for the prevention and control of diabetic kidney disease in China, highlighting the need for precision prevention strategies, enhanced primary healthcare services, and targeted interventions to address urban-rural diagnostic disparities and multilateral coordination to address this growing public health challenge.

Key Takeaways:

  • The burden of diabetic kidney disease in China exhibits a dual trajectory: declining mortality in type 1 diabetes-related DKD and rising incidence of type 2 diabetes-related DKD.
  • The average annual percentage change (AAPC) in age-standardized prevalence, incidence, and mortality rates for T1DM-DKD in China were 0.79 (95% CI: 0.75, 0.84), -0.62 (95% CI: -0.66, -0.59), and -1.72 (95% CI: -1.91, -1.53) respectively, while for T2DM-DKD they were -0.46 (95% CI: -0.49, -0.42), 0.22 (95% CI: 0.20, 0.26), and -0.64 (95% CI: -0.82, -0.47).
  • The age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) of DKD-T1DM is projected to decline from 1.06 (95% CI: 0.79, 1.38) per 100,000 in 2021 to 0.60 (95% CI: 0.32, 0.88) per 100,000 in 2041.
  • The trend of ASIR in DKD-T1DM is predicted to decrease slightly, while in DKD-T2DM will show an obvious upward trend, increasing from 16.29 (95% CI: 14.92, 17.53) per 100,000 in 2021 to 24.14 (95% CI: 14.78, 33.50) per 100,000 in 2041.
  • The study highlights the need for sustainable mitigation strategies, including precision prevention, enhanced primary healthcare services, and targeted interventions to address urban-rural diagnostic disparities and multilateral coordination to address this growing public health challenge.

Statistics:

  • Age-standardized rates in terms of prevalence (ASPR), incidence (ASIR), mortality (ASMR), DALYs, YLDs, and YLLs of DKD-T1DM in 2021 were 28.32 cases (95% CI: 23.95, 33.23) per 100,000, 0.7 new cases (95% CI: 0.38, 1.14) per 100,000, 1.06 deaths (95% CI: 0.79, 1.38) per 100,000, 47.95 DALYs (95% CI: 36.9, 60.73) per 100,000, 4.55 YLDs (95% CI: 3, 6.25) per 100,000, and 43.4 YLLs (95% CI: 33.05, 55.97) per 100,000.
  • Age-standardized rates in terms of prevalence (ASPR), incidence (ASIR), mortality (ASMR), DALYs, YLDs, and YLLs of DKD-T2DM in 2021 were 1053.92 cases (95% CI: 971.11, 1139.64) per 100,000, 16.29 new cases (95% CI: 14.92, 17.53) per 100,000, 5.64 deaths (95% CI: 4.46, 7) per 100,000, 122.15 DALYs (95% CI: 99.62, 146.99) per 100,000, 23.3 YLDs (95% CI: 16.29, 30.54) per 100,000, and 98.85 YLLs (95% CI: 78.16, 123.45) per 100,000.

Sources:

  • BMC Public Health. Epidemiological trend in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) burden in China from 1990 to 2021, and projections for 2041: an analysis of the global burden of disease study 2021. 2025;25(1):3381.
  • NewsRx. Studies from Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Xinjiang Medical University Have Provided New Data on Diabetic Kidney Disease [Epidemiological trend in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) burden in China from 1990 to 2021, and ...]. Diabetes Week. October 20, 2025; p 515.

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