# Disease and Economic Burden of Intellectual Developmental Disability Attributable to Congenital Heart Disease, 1990–2021

**Authors:** Xinjie Lin, Qiyu He, Xuyan Pei, Yanshang Wang, Sirui Zhou, Li Chen, Kai Ma, Zheng Dou, Yuze Liu, Yanbing Ma, Shoujun Li

PMC · DOI: 10.5334/gh.1511 · Global Heart · 2026-01-16

## TL;DR

This study examines the global impact of intellectual developmental disability caused by congenital heart disease, highlighting regional disparities and economic costs from 1990 to 2021.

## Contribution

The study provides a comprehensive analysis of the disease and economic burden of IDD attributable to CHD across different regions and age groups.

## Key findings

- In 2021, 1.05 million people worldwide had IDD attributable to CHD, with low-middle SDI regions most affected.
- South Asia had the highest prevalence of IDD due to CHD, and children under five were more susceptible.
- Economic costs were disproportionately high, with significant future income loss due to the burden of IDD.

## Abstract

Progressed medical techniques improved the life expectancy of congenital heart disease (CHD) population. Intellectual developmental disability (IDD) has progressively been a raised concern. This study aimed to comprehensively analyze the global burden, regional and age-specific differences, temporal trends, and economic cost of IDD attributable to CHD.

This study was a secondary analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 and World Development Indicators. The burden of IDD attributable to CHD was evaluated with prevalence, disability-adjusted life years, and estimated annual percentage change across global, socioeconomic, geographic, and age-specific subgroups. Joinpoint regression models were used to describe the temporal trends. Economic cost models were developed to estimate both direct and indirect costs.

In 2021, an estimated 1.05 million people lived with IDD attributable to CHD worldwide. Low-middle social-demographic index (SDI) regions were mostly affected. South Asia experienced the highest prevalence (0.30 million) among all geographic subregions. Children under the age of five were more susceptible to IDD attributable to CHD. The temporal trends varied across different SDI regions and age subgroups. The health-related expenditure of direct costs was disproportional with the burden of IDD attributable to CHD, which also contributed to a substantial income loss in the future.

Socioeconomic disadvantage and younger age are associated with a higher burden of IDD attributable to CHD. Efforts for both reducing CHD mortality and improving neurodevelopmental outcomes should be coordinately allocated.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** congenital heart disease (MONDO:0005453)

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** IDD (MESH:D008607), CHD (MESH:D006330)

## Full text

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## Figures

3 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12829444/full.md

## References

48 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12829444/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12829444