Nationwide Cross-Sectional Analysis of Mortality Trends in Patients with Sarcoidosis and Non-Ischemic Cardiovascular Disease-The Impact of Gender, Ethnicity, Geographical Location, and COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background and

Objectives

The epidemiological data regarding mortality rates of adults with sarcoidosis and non-ischemic cardiovascular disease (CVD) are limited. A retrospective observational analysis was conducted to identify trends and disparities related to sarcoidosis and non-ischemic cardiovascular disease mortality among the adult US population from 1999 to 2022.

Methods

We used the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) WONDER database to extract death certificate data for the adult US population (≥25 years). The age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 persons were calculated, and annual percent changes (APCs) were determined using Joinpoint.

Results

Between 1999 and 2022, 23,642 deaths were identified related to non-ischemic CVD + sarcoidosis. The overall AAMR increased from 0.2 (95% CI, 0.2 to 0.3) in 1999 to 0.5 (95% CI, 0.5 to 0.6) in 2022. Females had a higher AAMR than males (0.6 vs. 0.5). Non-Hispanic (NH) blacks had the highest AAMR, followed by NH whites and Hispanic or Latinos. The southern region had the highest AAMR (0.7: 95% CI, 0.6-0.7), followed by the Midwest (0.6, 95% CI, 0.54-0.669), the Northeast (0.5, 95% CI, 0.5 to 0.6), and the West (0.4; 95% CI, 0.3-0.4). Urban and rural areas had comparable mortality rates (0.5 vs. 0.6). People aged 65+ had the highest AAMRs.

Conclusions

The overall mortality rates for non-ischemic CVD and sarcoidosis have increased in the US from 1999 to 2022. Females and NH blacks had higher AAMRs, while a minimal variation was observed based on geographical regions. Early diagnosis and prompt management are the keys to reducing the mortality burden of non-ischemic CVD plus sarcoidosis.