Red flags of condition which has seen youth death rates surge

Symptoms are being highlighted of a condition behind a rise in deaths among young people. Death rates in people aged 15 to 44 are steadily climbing - with neurological diseases making a disturbing trend as either the primary cause of death or one of the contributing factors.

A preprint study by Phinance Technologies raised the issue. It used data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analysing statistics from the United States - and revealed the “significant” rise in mortality related to neurological disease in young adults in the wake of the Covid pandemic.

Phinance founder Ed Dowd said: “The excess UC death rates in 2021, 2022 and 2023 can be considered extreme occurrences due to their very high statistical significance. The results show a clear break from the prior historical trend in death rates from neurological diseases, pointing to a new phenomenon in action, worsening in 2022 and persisting through 2023.”

The study noted the neurological conditions included the likes of Guillain-Barré syndrome and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, also known as ADEM, is a condition that often occurs after a viral or bacterial infection that causes inflammation in the central nervous system.

Symptoms usually include headaches, confusion, weakness and numbness, according to Cleveland Clinic. Guillain-Barré syndrome also comes with symptoms of numbness and weakness as the serious condition affects the nerves mainly in the feet, hands and limbs. Other symptoms also include balance issues and pain with severe cases leaving patients struggling to walk, swallow and breathe.

The research, carried out by Carlos Alegria and Yuri Nunes, looked at neurological disease-related mortality across various age groups between 2000 and 2023, noticing a significant difference following 2019. The study categorised the deaths between those where the condition was an underlying cause or among a list of multiple causes and also accounted for deaths caused by Covid-19 by removing those where coronavirus was reported.

In the former group, excess mortality increased by 4.4% in 2020 and a disturbing 10% in 2021 but began to gradually decline again in 2022 at 9.9% and last year’s figures sitting at 8.1%. It noted that the various medical interventions and societal disruptions during the pandemic may have exacerbated underlying neurological vulnerabilities. The paper called for more focused research on the other potential factors behind this uptick and enhanced neurological health services and preventative care for younger people.

Earlier this year, a study published in Lancet revealed 43% of the world’s population had a neurological disorder in 2021. Analysis in the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors study noted the amount of disability, illness and premature death caused by 37 neurological conditions increased by more than 18% since 1990.

The lead author, Dr Jaimie Steinmetz, from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, said according to The Guardian: “As the world’s leading cause of overall disease burden, and with case numbers rising 59% globally since 1990, nervous system conditions must be addressed through effective, culturally acceptable and affordable prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term care strategies.”