Trends in age and sex-specific dilated cardiomyopathy mortality in Italy, 2005-2017

Aims: Data regarding the dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)-related mortality and relative time trends in the Italian population remain scant. We sought to assess the DCM mortality rates and relative trends among the Italian population between 2005 and 2017. Methods: Annual death rates by sex and 5-year age group were extracted from the WHO global mortality database. The age-standardized mortality rates, with relative 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs), also stratified by sex, were calculated using the direct method. Joinpoint regression analyses were used to identify periods with statistically distinct log linear trends in DCM-related death rates. To calculate nationwide annual trends in DCM-related mortality, we assessed the average annual percentage change (AAPC) and relative 95% CIs. Results: In Italy, the DCM age-standardized annual mortality rate decreased from 4.99 (95% CI: 4.97-5.02) deaths per 100 000 to 2.51 (95% CI: 2.49-2.52) deaths per 100 000 population. Over the entire period, men had a higher DCM-related mortality rates than women. Moreover, the mortality rate increased with age, with a seemingly exponential distribution and showing a similar trend among men and women. Joinpoint regression analysis revealed a linear decrease in age-standardized DCM-related mortality from 2005 to 2017 [AAPC: -5.1% (95% CI: -5.9 to -4.3, P < 0.001)] in the entire Italian population. However, the decline was more pronounced among women [AAPC: -5.6 (95% CI: -6.4 to -4.8, P < 0.001)] compared with men [AAPC: -4.9 (95% CI: -5.8 to -4.1, P < 0.001)]. Conclusion: In Italy, the DCM-related mortality rates linearly declined from 2005 to 2017.