Decrease in temp, increasesd humidity ... in last 7 days linked to STEMI

Summery

Background

Researchers have found that decrease in temperature, increasesd humidity and atmospheric pressure in last 7 days was associated with STEMI.

Several studies have highlighted the relationship between weather patterns and the occurrence of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Aim

ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a significant health problem in industrialized countries and is becoming an increasingly significant problem in developing countries. STEMI is a clinical syndrome defined by characteristic symptoms of myocardial ischemia in association with electrocardiographic (ECG) ST-segment changes (usually elevation) indicative of the occlusion of a major epicardial coronary artery

Researchers conducted a study to evaluate the statistical association between the occurrence of STEMI and meteorological variables over the preceding 7 days.

Methods

In a retrospective study they used prespecified data from the ORBI (Breton Regional Observatory on Myocardial Infarction) registry, which includes all consecutive patients hospitalized for STEMI in the geographical area of Brest, France.

Over a 7-year period, they compared the number of STEMIs per week with the mean values of meteorological variables over the preceding 7 days.

Results

In the study overall, 7517 patients with STEMI were recorded in the ORBI registry between January 2009 and January 2016. After exclusion of patients not living in the geographical area of interest, 742 patients were included. The weekly incidence of STEMI ranged from 0 to 7 (median 2, interquartile range 1–3). In the univariate analysis, air temperature (odds ratio [OR] 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.005–1.01 per 1 °C decrease; P = 0.03) and atmospheric pressure (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01–1.06 per 1 hPa increase; P = 0.008) were associated with the weekly incidence of STEMI. In the multivariable analysis, air temperature (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.01–1.10 per 1 °C decrease; P = 0.01), atmospheric pressure (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.02–1.08 per 1 hPa increase; P < 0.001) and duration of humidity > 80% (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02–1.15 per 1 hour increase; P = 0.007) in the previous 7 days were associated with the occurrence of STEMI.

Conclusions

The researchers concluded that in this specific geographical area, occurrence of STEMI was statistically associated with a decrease in air temperature, an increase in atmospheric pressure and an increase in humidity over the preceding 7-day period.

For more details click on the link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acvd.2019.09.012