阴雨天气与高血压的相关性探讨

目的本文采用128例原发性高血压患者晴雨天气时的血压变化资料,对二者间的联系进行分析,探索阴雨天气对血压的影响。方法在三次不同时间内,连续测得患者在雨天前、雨天时、雨天后的血压变化情况,将所得数据应用SPSS18.0进行统计学分析。结果三次调查中雨天时血压上升的患者数要比雨天前后时的多。结论晴雨天气对高血压有影响不相同,阴雨天气对血压的升高有明显影响。     

Seasonality of hip fractures and estimates of season-attributable effects: a multivariate ARIMA analysis of population-based data

Introduction This study examined seasonal variations in hip fracture rates using nation-wide, population-based data from Taiwan, a subtropical island with fairly uniform weather conditions (mean ambient temperature difference of 11.3°C between peak summer and peak winter months). Methods All inpatients aged 45+ years included in the National Health Insurance Database between 1997 and 2003 and bearing an ICD diagnosis code 820 (fracture neck of femur) were included (n=102,792 cases). Results Auto-regressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) modeling showed significant seasonality and an association of monthly hip fracture admission rates with ambient temperature among both sexes and all three age groups, 45–64, 65–74, and 75+ years. Crude rates show a significant trough during May–August (late spring and summer), followed by a sharp increase in September, and a discernible peak during November–February (late autumn and winter). Adjusted for seasonality, trend, and month, hip fracture rates are significantly reduced among males (b=−0.280, p<0.001) and females (b=−0.341, p<0.001) with increases in the mean ambient temperature. The protective effect of temperature intensifies with age (b=−0.010, −0.241 and −2.263 among the groups aged 45–64, 65–74, and 75+ years, respectively). January (mid-winter) is independently associated with 0.339, 0.663 and 8.153 more hip fractures, respectively, among the three age groups, beyond the temperature effect noted above, and May (late spring) is associated with 0.168, 1.364, and 7.255 fewer fractures. Hours of sunshine and atmospheric pressure were not significant predictors. Conclusions Based on our ARIMA regression coefficients for temperature, January, and May, we estimate that 32.1% of total hip fractures in January (the peak incidence month) are attributable to the season effect among seniors aged 75+ years, 17.2% among those aged 65–74 years, and 11.5% among those aged 45–64 years. We find that in a sub-tropical climate the effects of winter on hip fracture propensity is significant and increases with age. The policy implications are discussed.     

Air pollution, weather, and associated risk factors related to asthma prevalence and attack rate

Asthma is an important public health challenge. The objective of this research was to investigate the relationship of air pollution and weather to adolescent asthma prevalence and attack rate. A 6-month mass screening asthma study was conducted from October 1995 to March 1996 in Taiwan. The study population included junior high school students from throughout the country (1,139,452 students). Eighty-nine percent of students completed questionnaires (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood-ISAAC and New England Core Questionnaires) and passed a logical screening error program. Lung function data was collected to assist in the diagnosis of asthma status. From the students screened during this mass survey, a stratified random sample of 64,660 students was analyzed for asthma prevalence and attack rate. Using a regression model to compare the USEPA National Ambient Air Quality Standards 2000 (NAAQS, 2000) to asthma prevalence, this investigation found that the standards may not provide enough protection for adolescents after controlling for age, rhinitis, eczema, urban birth location, parental education level, exercise, cigarette smoking, environmental tobacco smoking, alcohol beverage consumption and weather factors. The general estimating equations (GEE) model, a repeated measurement regression model, was used to examine the relationship between the monthly asthma attack rate among asthma patients and air pollution (nitrogen oxides; nitrogen dioxide; nitric oxide; Ozone; PM10) while controlling for household smoking. The GEE model demonstrated that air pollution is related to asthma attack rate. Air pollution factors also interacted with weather parameters when related to asthma attack rate.     

Weather and Birth Weight: Different Roles of Maternal and Neonatal GPR61 Promoter Methylation

Objectives It is unclear whether G protein-coupled receptor 61(GPR61) affecting body weight, plays a role in the association between birth weight and weather. This study aimed to assess the effects of prenatal weather and GPR61 on birth weight.Methods A total of 567 mother-newborn pairs were recruited in Houzhai Center Hospital during2011–2012. We detected the maternal and neonatal GPR61 promoter methylation levels, and obtained meteorological and air pollution data.Results A positive associatio...     

Contribution of Weather to the Seasonality of Distal Forearm Fractures: A Population-Based Study in Rochester, Minnesota

Distal forearm fractures due to falls were more frequent in the winter (p<0.0001) among Rochester men and women 35 years of age or older in 1952–89. The winter excess was partially explained by a greater relative risk of distal forearm fractures on days with freezing rain (1.65; 95% CI 1.28–2.13) or snow (1.42; 95% CI 1.17–1.74) among women under 65 years of age and on days with freezing rain (1.63; 95% CI 1.23–2.17) among older women. The greater seasonality of forearm compared with hip fractures is explained by the fact that more of them occur out-of-doors. However, residual effects of season after adjusting for daily weather conditions suggest that other factors may play a role. Received: 21 April 1998 / Accepted: 17 July 1998     

Relationship between illness-associated absence in day-care children and weather parameters

This 5-year study demonstrated a statistically significant correlation between morbidity among children attending day-care centres and various weather parameters. The study was undertaken in south-central Sweden, where sharp seasonal contrasts in climatic and weather conditions occur. Illness-associated absence (IAA) decreased significantly when the weather was bright, sunny and warm, determined using average monthly weather parameters analysed over 60 months. This may be because good weather encourages outdoor activities which, in turn, reduce the risk of spreading respiratory tract infections as outdoor play areas are larger, body contact is less frequent, and any bacteria and viruses present will be readily dispersed. In multiple regression analysis, outdoor temperature was the most prominent parameter linked with IAA. This may reflect the behaviour of the staff with regard to various weather conditions. It is therefore to be recommended that children attending day-care centres should be allowed and encouraged to play outdoors when conditions allow.     

Population-based research on the relationship between summer weather and paediatric forearm shaft fractures

Background

Paediatric forearm shaft fractures show an increasing incidence. The predictive factors of these fractures are not fully understood. Summer weather is suggested to have an effect on the risk of children's fractures. We studied the effect of rainfall, temperature and wind on paediatric forearm shaft fractures in summer.

Methods

All 148 children's forearm shaft fractures in the geographic catchment district during the summer months in 1997–2009 were included. There were 1989 days in the study period. Daily meteorological readings captured the maximum daytime temperature, precipitation and wind speed. The direct daily association between fractures (yes/no) and different weather conditions was analysed in this population-based study.

Results

The risk of forearm shaft fracture was 50% higher on dry days compared to rainy days (P = 0.038). Temperature and wind speed had no statistically significant effect on fractures.

Conclusions

The results give support for the presumption by the general public and professionals that summer weather affects children's fractures. A 1.5-fold increase in the risk is especially significant as the forearm shaft fractures are challenging to manage and prone to complications. Paediatric trauma units should prepare themselves for these severe injuries on dry summer days.     

No Effects of Meteorological Factors on the SARS-CoV-2 Infection Fatality Rate

Objective Previous studies have shown that meteorological factors may increase COVID-19 mortality, likely due to the increased transmission of the virus. However, this could also be related to an increased infection fatality rate (IFR). We investigated the association between meteorological factors (temperature, humidity, solar irradiance, pressure, wind, precipitation, cloud coverage) and IFR across Spanish provinces (n = 52) during the first wave of the pandemic (weeks 10–16 of 2020).Methods We estimated IFR as excess deaths (the gap between observed and expected deaths, considering COVID-19-unrelated deaths prevented by lockdown measures) divided by the number of infections (SARS-CoV-2 seropositive individuals plus excess deaths) and conducted Spearman correlations between meteorological factors and IFR across the provinces. Results We estimated 2,418,250 infections and 43,237 deaths. The IFR was 0.03％ in < 50-year-old, 0.22％ in 50–59-year-old, 0.9％ in 60–69-year-old, 3.3％ in 70–79-year-old, 12.6％ in 80–89-year-old, and 26.5％ in ≥ 90-year-old. We did not find statistically significant relationships between meteorological factors and adjusted IFR. However, we found strong relationships between low temperature and unadjusted IFR, likely due to Spain's colder provinces' aging population. Conclusion The association between meteorological factors and adjusted COVID-19 IFR is unclear. Neglecting age differences or ignoring COVID-19-unrelated deaths may severely bias COVID-19 epidemiological analyses.     

The menacing phantom: What pulls the trigger?

Phantom phenomena are frequent following amputation, but how this often painful experience is modified or triggered by spontaneous events or sensations often puzzles amputees and clinicians alike. We explored triggers of phantom phenomena in a heterogeneous sample of 264 upper and lower limb adult amputees with phantom sensations. Participants completed a structured questionnaire to determine the prevalence and nature of the triggers of phantom phenomena. The four categories of triggers identified include: (a) a quarter of participants experiencing psychological, emotional or autonomic triggers; (b) half experiencing behavioral triggers, “forgetting” the limb's absence and attempting to use the phantom; (c) one‐fifth experiencing weather‐induced triggers; and (d) one‐third experiencing sensations referred from parts of the body. Upper limb amputees; and were more likely to experience weather‐induced phantom phenomena than lower limb amputees; and upper and lower limb amputees were equally likely to experience referred sensations from the genitals, contradicting the homuncular remapping hypothesis. Traumatic amputees were more likely to report emotional triggers. Further, while those with emotional triggers exhibited poorer acceptance of the limitations of amputation, they were more likely to employ adaptive coping mechanisms. Finally, habitual “forgetting” behaviors were most common soon after amputation, whereas other more adaptive schemata (e.g., self‐defense) were equally likely to be performed at any time following amputation. Various likely inter‐related mechanisms are discussed in relation to phantom triggers. Ultimately, optimizing stump and neuroma management, as well as restoring function of central networks for pain, limb movement, and amputation‐related memories, should help manage spontaneously triggered phantom phenomena.     

Severe weather warnings predict fracture epidemics

Winter epidemics of fractures have been described that greatly exceed normal seasonal variations and overwhelm resources. We investigated the relationship between severe weather warnings, the frequency of fractures, and fracture related workload.There was a significant increase in fractures with cold and inclement weather, mostly low-energy fractures treated with day-case surgery or in fracture clinics. The number of patients treated as inpatients for fractures did not increase. Hip fractures were not associated with weather. Severe weather warnings for icy roads were predictive of fracture epidemics (p < 0.01) with an associated 40% (95% confidence limits 20-52%) increase in fractures. Meteorological Office issued severe weather warnings can provide a trigger to plan for an increased workload of low-energy fractures, with opportunities for anticipatory public health measures.