Chronic Kidney Disease Burden Attributable to Metabolic Risks Among Women Aged ≥55 Years Worldwide, 1990–2021: A Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 Analysis

JianTing Li, YanLi LanDepartment of Nephrology, Affiliated Hospital Group of Guangdong Medical University Panyu He Xian Memorial Hospital, Guan Zhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: JianTing Li, Email 18676880348@163.comBackground: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) attributable to metabolic risks imposes a growing burden among older women, but comprehensive global assessments specifically focused on women aged ≥ 55 years remain limited.Methods: Using Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 data, we assessed deaths, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and age-standardized rates of CKD attributable to metabolic risks among women aged ≥ 55 years in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021. We evaluated temporal and geographic patterns, compared burden across five sociodemographic index (SDI) groups, assessed SDI-related inequalities, and projected burden to 2040. For risk-specific analyses, the contributions of high fasting plasma glucose, high systolic blood pressure, and high body-mass index were compared.Results: In 2021, CKD attributable to metabolic risks caused 624,793 deaths and 13.65 million DALYs among women aged ≥ 55 years. The age-standardized mortality rate and age-standardized DALY rate were 78.51 and 1,725.67 per 100,000 population, respectively, and both increased over time. High fasting plasma glucose was the leading metabolic risk, whereas the burden attributable to high body-mass index increased most rapidly. Substantial regional and national heterogeneity was observed, and the burden was generally higher in lower-SDI settings. Projections indicated that the age-standardized DALY rate and total DALYs may continue to increase through 2040.Conclusion: The global CKD burden attributable to metabolic risks among women aged ≥ 55 years has increased and remains unevenly distributed across socioeconomic settings. Strengthening integrated management of modifiable metabolic risks, early CKD detection, and health-system capacity in resource-limited settings may help reduce this burden.Keywords: chronic kidney disease, metabolic risks, women aged ≥ 55 years, disease burden, global burden of disease study