Relationship between meteorological factors and mortality from respiratory diseases in a subtropical humid region along the Yangtze River in China

Lag effect of ambient temperature on respiratory emergency department visits in Beijing: a time series and pooled analysis

BACKGROUND

Although the association between ambient temperature and mortality of respiratory diseases was numerously documented, the association between various ambient temperature levels and respiratory emergency department (ED) visits has not been well studied. A recent investigation of the association between respiratory ED visits and various levels of ambient temperature was conducted in Beijing, China.

METHODS

Daily meteorological data, air pollution data, and respiratory ED visits data from 2017 to 2018 were collected in Beijing. The relationship between ambient temperature and respiratory ED visits was explored using a distributed lagged nonlinear model (DLNM). Then we performed subgroup analysis based on age and gender. Finally, meta-analysis was utilized to aggregate the total influence of ambient temperature on respiratory ED visits across China.

RESULTS

The single-day lag risk for extreme cold peaked at a relative risk (RR) of 1.048 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.009, 1.088] at a lag of 21 days, with a long lag effect. As for the single-day lag risk for extreme hot, a short lag effect was shown at a lag of 7 days with an RR of 1.076 (95% CI: 1.038, 1.114). The cumulative lagged effects of both hot and cold effects peaked at lag 0-21 days, with a cumulative risk of the onset of 3.690 (95% CI: 2.133, 6.382) and 1.641 (95% CI: 1.284, 2.098), respectively, with stronger impact on the hot. Additionally, the elderly were more sensitive to ambient temperature. The males were more susceptible to hot weather than the females. A longer cold temperature lag effect was found in females. Compared with the meta-analysis, a pooled effect of ambient temperature was consistent in general. In the subgroup analysis, a significant difference was found by gender.

CONCLUSIONS

Temperature level, age-specific, and gender-specific effects between ambient temperature and the number of ED visits provide information on early warning measures for the prevention and control of respiratory diseases.

Ambient temperature variations and AIDS-related mortality: A time-stratified case-crossover study in 103 counties, China

BACKGROUND

Climate change, characterized by the steady ascent of global temperatures and the escalating unpredictability of climate patterns, poses multifaceted challenges to public health worldwide. However, vulnerable groups, particularly the population affected by HIV/AIDS, have received little attention.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to examine the impacts of temperature variations on AIDS-related mortality.

METHODS

Data on individuals with HIV/AIDS were collected from the HIV/AIDS Comprehensive Response Information Management System between 2013 and 2019. Temperature variation metrics were constructed by diurnal temperature range (DTR), temperature changes between neighboring days (TCN), and temperature variability (TV0-t). Time-stratified case-crossover design with conditional logistic regression models was used to investigate the associations between ambient temperature variations and AIDS-related mortality.

RESULTS

Each 1 °C elevated in DTR was linked with a 5.28 % [95 % confidence intervals (CIs): 1.61, 9.08] increment in AIDS-related mortality at a lag of 0-6 days. Stronger associations between DTR and AIDS-related mortality were observed in the married than in single, with corresponding excess ORs (%) of 5.33 (95 % CIs: 0.29, 10.62) versus 4.79 (95 % CIs: -0.50, 10.36) for 1 °C increased in DTR at lag 0-6 days. Additionally, we noticed the impact of DTR was more pronounced in the warm season, leading to a 7.32 % (95 % CIs: 0.57, 14.51) elevation in the risks of AIDS-related mortality for 1 °C increase in DTR at lag 0-6 days, while the effect value decreased to 5.16 % (95 % CIs: 0.71, 9.81) in the cold season.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicated that DTR might be a significant risk factor for AIDS-related deaths among ambient temperature variation indicators, and underscored the importance of considering temperature variability in public health interventions aimed at mitigating this risk of AIDS-related mortality.

Research on the relationship between common metabolic syndrome and meteorological factors in Wuhu, a subtropical humid city of China

As climate conditions deteriorate, human health faces a broader range of threats. This study aimed to determine the risk of death from metabolic syndrome (MetS) due to meteorological factors. We collected daily data from 2014 to 2020 in Wuhu City, including meteorological factors, environmental pollutants and death data of common MetS (hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes), as well as a total number of 15,272 MetS deaths. To examine the relationship between meteorological factors, air pollutants, and MetS mortality, we used a generalized additive model (GAM) combined with a distributed delay nonlinear model (DLNM) for time series analysis. The relationship between the above factors and death outcomes was preliminarily evaluated using Spearman analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM). As per out discovery, diurnal temperature range (DTR) and daily mean temperature (T mean) increased the MetS mortality risk notably. The ultra low DTR raised the MetS mortality risk upon the general people, with the highest RR value of 1.033 (95% CI: 1.002, 1.065) at lag day 14. In addition, T mean was also significantly associated with MetS death. The highest risk of ultra low and ultra high T mean occured on the same day (lag 14), RR values were 1.043 (95% CI: 1.010, 1.077) and 1.032 (95% CI: 1.003, 1.061) respectively. Stratified analysis's result showed lower DTR had a more pronounced effect on women and the elderly, and ultra low and high T mean was a risk factor for MetS mortality in women and men. The elderly need to take extra note of temperature changes, and different levels of T mean will increase the risk of death. In warm seasons, ultra high RH and T mean can increase the mortality rate of MetS patients.