Global Burden of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Heart Failure Comorbidity in Older Adults: An Analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study

Heart failure (HF) is a common comorbidity for older patients of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study aimed to investigate the global burden of COPD-HF comorbidity among older adults from 1990 to 2021 and make a prediction till 2050. Data on prevalence and years lived with disability (YLDs) for COPD-HF comorbidity among older adults aged 60 or above were obtained from the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2021. Absolute number and age-standardized rate (ASR) per 100,000 individuals were used to compare the disease burden by sex, age, severity and region. Temporal trends in ASR from 1990 to 2021 were analyzed using Joinpoint models, while Bayesian age-period-cohort models were introduced to project ASR till 2050. From 1990 to 2021, global prevalent cases and YLDs of COPD-HF comorbidity among older adults increased, and ASRs also exhibited a sustained increase. The disease burden will continue to rise till 2050. Moreover, the comorbidity burden was higher in males than females, and increased with age. Additionally, severe and treated cases were the predominant subtypes of this comorbidity. Low and middle socio-demographic index (SDI) regions tended to bear higher disease burden. The global burden of COPD-HF comorbidity was substantially heavy with a consistent rising trend from 1990 to 2021 in older adults. The disease burden will rise till 2050. Disparities of the disease burden existed in sex, SDI, and geographic region worldwide. This study has implications for re-allocating resources to early identification and effective treatment of COPD, HF, and COPD-HF comorbidity.