Can Weather factors influence pain and inflammation in patients with gout?

Written By : Jacinthlyn Sylvia |Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli Published On 2024-03-08T10:45:46+05:30 | Updated On 8 March 2024 12:47 PM IST

A recent meta-analysis highlights that the changes in weather factors does not increase the risk of knee, hip, or low back pain symptoms. This comprehensive review was published in the journal of Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism and challenged the common beliefs about the relationship between weather and conditions like arthritis, knee pain and back pain.

The study by Manuela Ferreira and team analyzed data from 11 case-crossover studies that involved over 15,000 participants. These studies investigated the transient risk of musculoskeletal health events associated with various weather parameters such as temperature, humidity, air pressure and precipitation.

The findings of this study suggest that weather might not be as significant a factor in musculoskeletal health as previously thought. The pooled analyses revealed no significant association between weather factors and conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, knee pain or low back pain. The meta-analysis found that high temperatures combined with low humidity were associated with increased pain, redness, and joint swelling in individuals with gout. This suggests that weather may indeed play a role in specific musculoskeletal conditions.

This research emphasized the importance of evidence-based medicine in dispelling myths around weather and musculoskeletal health. Also, changes in weather factors do not influence the risk factors for most common musculoskeletal conditions despite the anecdotal reports from patients. However, the findings of this study highlight the significant influence of weather in gout disease. Further research on this subject is imperative to explore the complexities of weather and it's impact on the musculoskeletal health, including the potential interactions with individual genetics and lifestyle factors.

Source:

Ferreira, M. L., Hunter, D. J., Fu, A., Raihana, S., Urquhart, D., & Ferreira, P. H. (2024). Come rain or shine: Is weather a risk factor for musculoskeletal pain? A systematic review with meta-analysis of case-crossover studies. In Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism (Vol. 65, p. 152392). Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.semarthrit.2024.152392

Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatismgout painMusculoskeletal health

Source : Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism

Jacinthlyn Sylvia

Neuroscience Masters graduate

Jacinthlyn Sylvia, a Neuroscience Master's graduate from Chennai has worked extensively in deciphering the neurobiology of cognition and motor control in aging. She also has spread-out exposure to Neurosurgery from her Bachelor’s. She is currently involved in active Neuro-Oncology research. She is an upcoming neuroscientist with a fiery passion for writing. Her news cover at Medical Dialogues feature recent discoveries and updates from the healthcare and biomedical research fields. She can be reached at editorial@medicaldialogues.in

Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli

Dr Kamal Kant Kohli-MBBS, DTCD- a chest specialist with more than 30 years of practice and a flair for writing clinical articles, Dr Kamal Kant Kohli joined Medical Dialogues as a Chief Editor of Medical News. Besides writing articles, as an editor, he proofreads and verifies all the medical content published on Medical Dialogues including those coming from journals, studies,medical conferences,guidelines etc. Email: drkohli@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751