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Visaria A, Kang E, Parthasarathi A, Robinson D, Read J, Nethery R, Josey K, Gandhi P, Bates B, Rua M, Ghosh AK, Setoguchi S. Ambient heat exposure patterns and emergency department visits and hospitalizations among medicare beneficiaries 2008-2019. Am J Emerg Med 2024; 81:1-9. [PMID: 38613874 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2024.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the association between ambient heat and all-cause and cause-specific emergency department (ED) visits and acute hospitalizations among Medicare beneficiaries in the conterminous United States. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING Conterminous US from 2008 and 2019. PARTICIPANTS 2% random sample of all Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries eligible for Parts A, B, and D. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES All-cause and cause-specific (cardiovascular, renal, and heat-related) ED visits and unplanned hospitalizations were identified using primary ICD-9 or ICD-10 diagnosis codes. We measured the association between ambient temperature - defined as daily mean temperature percentile of summer (June through September) - and the outcomes. Hazard ratios and their associated 95% confidence intervals were estimated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusting for individual level demographics, comorbidities, healthcare utilization factors and zip-code level social factors. RESULTS Among 809,636 Medicare beneficiaries (58% female, 81% non-Hispanic White, 24% <65), older beneficiaries (aged ≥65) exposed to >95th percentile temperature had a 64% elevated adjusted risk of heat-related ED visits (HR [95% CI], 1.64 [1.46,1.85]) and a 4% higher risk of all-cause acute hospitalization (1.04 [1.01,1.06]) relative to <25th temperature percentile. Younger beneficiaries (aged <65) showed increased risk of heat-related ED visits (2.69 [2.23,3.23]) and all-cause ED visits (1.03 [1.01,1.05]). The associations with heat related events were stronger in males and individuals dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. No significant differences were observed by climatic region. We observed no significant relationship between temperature percentile and risk of CV-related ED visits or renal-related ED visits. CONCLUSIONS Among Medicare beneficiaries from 2008 to 2019, exposure to daily mean temperature ≥ 95th percentile was associated with increased risk of heat-related ED visits, with stronger associations seen among beneficiaries <65, males, and patients with low socioeconomic position. Further longitudinal studies are needed to understand the impact of heat duration, intensity, and frequency on cause-specific hospitalization outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aayush Visaria
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, One Robert Wood Johnson Pl., New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States of America.
| | - Euntaik Kang
- Rutgers Business School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States of America.
| | - Ashwaghosha Parthasarathi
- Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Sciences, Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research, 112 Paterson St., New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States of America.
| | - David Robinson
- Department of Geography, Rutgers University, Lucy Stone Hall, 54 Joyce Kilmer Ave., Piscataway, NJ 08854, United States of America.
| | - John Read
- Department of Geography, Rutgers University, Lucy Stone Hall, 54 Joyce Kilmer Ave., Piscataway, NJ 08854, United States of America.
| | - Rachel Nethery
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Ave., Building 1, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America.
| | - Kevin Josey
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Ave., Building 1, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America.
| | - Poonam Gandhi
- Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Sciences, Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research, 112 Paterson St., New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States of America.
| | - Benjamin Bates
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, One Robert Wood Johnson Pl., New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States of America; Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Sciences, Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research, 112 Paterson St., New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States of America.
| | - Melanie Rua
- Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Sciences, Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research, 112 Paterson St., New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States of America.
| | - Arnab K Ghosh
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, 420 E 70(th) St, NY 10065, United States of America.
| | - Soko Setoguchi
- Department of Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, One Robert Wood Johnson Pl., New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States of America; Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Sciences, Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research, 112 Paterson St., New Brunswick, NJ 08901, United States of America.
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Guo C, Ge E, Yu M, Li C, Lao X, Li S, Glaser J, He Y, Almeida-Silva M, Meng S, Su WC, Zhang J, Lin S, Zhang K. Impact of heat on emergency hospital admissions related to kidney diseases in Texas: Uncovering racial disparities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 909:168377. [PMID: 37956847 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE While impact of heat exposure on human health is well-documented, limited research exists on its effect on kidney disease hospital admissions especially in Texas, a state with diverse demographics and a high heat-related death rate. We aimed to explore the link between high temperatures and emergency kidney disease hospital admissions across 12 Texas Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) from 2004 to 2013, considering causes, age groups, and ethnic populations. METHODS To investigate the correlation between high temperatures and emergency hospital admissions, we utilized MSA-level hospital admission and weather data. We employed a Generalized Additive Model to calculate the association specific to each MSA, and then performed a random effects meta-analysis to estimate the overall correlation. Analyses were stratified by age groups, admission causes, and racial/ethnic disparities. Sensitivity analysis involved lag modifications and ozone inclusion in the model. RESULTS Our analysis found that each 1 °C increase in temperature was associated with a 1.73 % (95 % CI [1.43, 2.03]) increase in hospital admissions related to all types of kidney diseases. Besides, the effect estimates varied across different age groups and specific types of kidney diseases. We observed statistically significant associations between high temperatures and emergency hospital admissions for Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) (3.34 % (95 % CI [2.86, 3.82])), Kidney Stone (1.76 % (95 % CI [0.94, 2.60])), and Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) (1.06 % (95 % CI [0.61, 1.51])). Our research findings indicate disparities in certain Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). In Austin, Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas metropolitan areas, the estimated effects are more pronounced for African Americans when compared to the White population. Additionally, in Dallas, Houston, El Paso, and San Antonio, the estimated effects are greater for the Hispanic group compared to the Non-Hispanic group. CONCLUSIONS This study finds a strong link between higher temperatures and kidney disease-related hospital admissions in Texas, especially for AKI. Public health actions are necessary to address these temperature-related health risks, including targeted kidney health initiatives. More research is needed to understand the mechanisms and address health disparities among racial/ethnic groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyu Guo
- Department of Economics, School of Art and Science, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Erjia Ge
- Division of Epidemiology, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Manzhu Yu
- Department of Geography, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Changwei Li
- Department of Epidemiology, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Xiangqian Lao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Shuang Li
- Department of Sociology, Bridgewater College, Bridgewater, VA, USA
| | | | - Yongqun He
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Marina Almeida-Silva
- H&TRC-Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL-Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; OSEAN-Outermost Regions Sustainable Ecosystem for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 9000-039 Funchal, Portugal
| | - Sisi Meng
- Pulte Institute for Global Development, Keough School of Global Affairs, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Wei-Chung Su
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, USA
| | - Junfeng Zhang
- Global Health Institute and the Nicholas School of Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Shao Lin
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA.
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Maline GE, Goldfarb DS. Climate change and kidney stones. Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens 2024; 33:89-96. [PMID: 37725125 DOI: 10.1097/mnh.0000000000000931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Kidney stones affect an increasing proportion of the population. We suggest that these trends are in part influenced by exposure to higher temperatures as a result of climate change and urbanization. The changing epidemiology of kidney stones is a topic worthy of discussion due to the economic and healthcare burden the condition poses as well as the quality-of-life disruption faced by individuals with kidney stones. RECENT FINDINGS The relationship between heat and kidney stones is well supported. Exposure to high temperatures has been shown to increase risk for stone development within a short time frame. Effects are modified by factors such as sex, comorbid conditions, and population vulnerability and adaptability. Urban heat islands (UHIs) likely exaggerate the effect of increasing global surface temperature. The concentration of UHIs often coincides with historic redlining practices in the United States, potentially contributing to observed disparities in kidney health among minoritized populations. As global surface temperature increases and urbanization trends continue, a greater proportion of the world's population is exposed to significant temperature extremes each year, leading to the expectation that kidney stone prevalence will continue to increase. SUMMARY This work describes the effect of increasing global surface temperature as a result of climate change on kidney stone disease and kidney health. These effects may result in further perpetuation of significant kidney stone related social disparities. We suggest strategies to mitigate the effects of heat exposure on stone formation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David S Goldfarb
- NYU Grossman School of Medicine
- Nephrology Division, NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Nephrology Section Harbor VA Healthcare System, New York, New York, USA
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Donnelly MC, Talley NJ. Effects of climate change on digestive health and preventative measures. Gut 2023; 72:2199-2201. [PMID: 37977585 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2023-331187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicholas J Talley
- HMRI Building, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
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Zhang R, Zhang W, Ling J, Dong J, Zhang L, Ruan Y. Association between air temperature and risk of hospitalization for genitourinary disorders: An environmental epidemiological study in Lanzhou, China. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292530. [PMID: 37819991 PMCID: PMC10566730 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between air temperature and the risk of hospitalization for genitourinary disorders. METHODS Distributed lag non-linear models (DLNM) were used to estimate the association between air temperature and the risk of hospitalization for genitourinary disorders, with subgroup analysis by gender and age to identify the susceptible population of temperature-sensitive genitourinary system diseases. RESULTS Low mean temperature (MT) (RR = 2.001, 95% CI: 1.856~2.159), high MT (RR = 2.884, 95% CI: 2.621~3.173) and low diurnal temperature range (DTR) (RR = 1.619, 95% CI: 1.508~1.737) were all associated with the increased risk of hospitalization for genitourinary disorders in the total population analysis, and the high MT effect was stronger than the low MT effect. Subgroup analysis found that high MT was more strongly correlated in male (RR = 2.998, 95% CI: 2.623~3.427) and those <65 years (RR = 3.003, 95% CI: 2.670~3.344), and low DTR was more strongly correlated in female (RR = 1.669, 95% CI: 1.510~1.846) and those <65 years (RR = 1.643, 95% CI: 1.518~1.780). CONCLUSIONS The effect of high MT on the risk of hospitalization for genitourinary disorders is more significant than that of low MT. DTR was independently associated with the risk of hospitalization for genitourinary disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runping Zhang
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wancheng Zhang
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianglong Ling
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiyuan Dong
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Li Zhang
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ye Ruan
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, People’s Republic of China
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Wang FL, Wang WZ, Zhang FF, Peng SY, Wang HY, Chen R, Wang JW, Li PF, Wang Y, Zhao MH, Yang C, Zhang LX. Heat exposure and hospitalizations for chronic kidney disease in China: a nationwide time series study in 261 major Chinese cities. Mil Med Res 2023; 10:41. [PMID: 37670366 PMCID: PMC10478241 DOI: 10.1186/s40779-023-00478-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Climate change profoundly shapes the population health at the global scale. However, there was still insufficient and inconsistent evidence for the association between heat exposure and chronic kidney disease (CKD). METHODS In the present study, we studied the association of heat exposure with hospitalizations for cause-specific CKD using a national inpatient database in China during the study period of hot season from 2015 to 2018. Standard time-series regression models and random-effects meta-analysis were developed to estimate the city-specific and national averaged associations at a 7 lag-day span, respectively. RESULTS A total of 768,129 hospitalizations for CKD was recorded during the study period. The results showed that higher temperature was associated with elevated risk of hospitalizations for CKD, especially in sub-tropical cities. With a 1 °C increase in daily mean temperature, the cumulative relative risks (RR) over lag 0-7 d were 1.008 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.003-1.012] for nationwide. The attributable fraction of CKD hospitalizations due to high temperatures was 5.50%. Stronger associations were observed among younger patients and those with obstructive nephropathy. Our study also found that exposure to heatwaves was associated with added risk of hospitalizations for CKD compared to non-heatwave days (RR = 1.116, 95% CI 1.069-1.166) above the effect of daily mean temperature. CONCLUSIONS Short-term heat exposure may increase the risk of hospitalization for CKD. Our findings provide insights into the health effects of climate change and suggest the necessity of guided protection strategies against the adverse effects of high temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu-Lin Wang
- Institute of Medical Technology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, 100191, China
- National Institute of Health Data Science at Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Wan-Zhou Wang
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Fei-Fei Zhang
- National Institute of Health Data Science at Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Su-Yuan Peng
- National Institute of Health Data Science at Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Huai-Yu Wang
- National Institute of Health Data Science at Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Rui Chen
- Renal Division, Department of Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University Institute of Nephrology, Beijing, 100034, China
- Research Units of Diagnosis and Treatment of Immune-Mediated Kidney Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Jin-Wei Wang
- Renal Division, Department of Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University Institute of Nephrology, Beijing, 100034, China
- Research Units of Diagnosis and Treatment of Immune-Mediated Kidney Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Peng-Fei Li
- Advanced Institute of Information Technology, Peking University, Hangzhou, 311215, China
| | - Yang Wang
- National Climate Center, China Meteorological Administration, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Ming-Hui Zhao
- Renal Division, Department of Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University Institute of Nephrology, Beijing, 100034, China
- Research Units of Diagnosis and Treatment of Immune-Mediated Kidney Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100034, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Chao Yang
- Renal Division, Department of Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University Institute of Nephrology, Beijing, 100034, China.
- Research Units of Diagnosis and Treatment of Immune-Mediated Kidney Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100034, China.
- Advanced Institute of Information Technology, Peking University, Hangzhou, 311215, China.
| | - Lu-Xia Zhang
- National Institute of Health Data Science at Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China.
- Renal Division, Department of Medicine, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University Institute of Nephrology, Beijing, 100034, China.
- Advanced Institute of Information Technology, Peking University, Hangzhou, 311215, China.
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Casey JA, Daouda M, Babadi RS, Do V, Flores NM, Berzansky I, González DJ, Van Horne YO, James-Todd T. Methods in Public Health Environmental Justice Research: a Scoping Review from 2018 to 2021. Curr Environ Health Rep 2023; 10:312-336. [PMID: 37581863 PMCID: PMC10504232 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-023-00406-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The volume of public health environmental justice (EJ) research produced by academic institutions increased through 2022. However, the methods used for evaluating EJ in exposure science and epidemiologic studies have not been catalogued. Here, we completed a scoping review of EJ studies published in 19 environmental science and epidemiologic journals from 2018 to 2021 to summarize research types, frameworks, and methods. RECENT FINDINGS We identified 402 articles that included populations with health disparities as a part of EJ research question and met other inclusion criteria. Most studies (60%) evaluated EJ questions related to socioeconomic status (SES) or race/ethnicity. EJ studies took place in 69 countries, led by the US (n = 246 [61%]). Only 50% of studies explicitly described a theoretical EJ framework in the background, methods, or discussion and just 10% explicitly stated a framework in all three sections. Among exposure studies, the most common area-level exposure was air pollution (40%), whereas chemicals predominated personal exposure studies (35%). Overall, the most common method used for exposure-only EJ analyses was main effect regression modeling (50%); for epidemiologic studies the most common method was effect modification (58%), where an analysis evaluated a health disparity variable as an effect modifier. Based on the results of this scoping review, current methods in public health EJ studies could be bolstered by integrating expertise from other fields (e.g., sociology), conducting community-based participatory research and intervention studies, and using more rigorous, theory-based, and solution-oriented statistical research methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan A. Casey
- University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA USA
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Misbath Daouda
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Ryan S. Babadi
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Vivian Do
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Nina M. Flores
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Isa Berzansky
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - David J.X. González
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management and School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | | | - Tamarra James-Todd
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
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Chu L, Chen K, Crowley S, Dubrow R. Associations between short-term temperature exposure and kidney-related conditions in New York State: The influence of temperature metrics across four dimensions. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 173:107783. [PMID: 36841184 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence describing the relationship between short-term temperature exposure and kidney-related conditions is insufficient. It remains unclear how temperature specification affects estimation of these associations. This study aimed to assess associations between short-term temperature exposure and seven kidney-related conditions and to evaluate the influence of temperature specification. METHODS We obtained data on hospital encounters in New York State (2007-2016). We assessed associations with a case-crossover design using conditional logistic regression with distributed lag non-linear models. We compared model performance (i.e., AIC) and association curves using 1) five temperature spatial resolutions; 2) temperature on an absolute versus relative scale; 3) seven temperature metrics incorporating humidity, wind speed, and/or solar radiation; and 4) five intraday temperature measures (e.g., daily minimum and daytime mean). RESULTS We included 1,209,934 unplanned adult encounters. Temperature metric and intraday measure had considerably greater influence than spatial resolution and temperature scale. For outcomes not associated with temperature exposure, almost all metrics or intraday measures showed good model performance; for outcomes associated with temperature, there were meaningful differences in performance across metrics or intraday measures. For parsimony, we modelled daytime mean outdoor wet-bulb globe temperature, which showed good performance for all outcomes. At lag 0-6 days, we observed increased risk at the 95th percentile of temperature versus the minimum morbidity temperature for acute kidney failure (odds ratio [OR] = 1.36, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09, 1.69), urolithiasis (OR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.16, 1.70), dysnatremia (OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.59), and volume depletion (OR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.41, 2.51), but not for glomerular diseases, renal tubulo-interstitial diseases, and chronic kidney disease. CONCLUSIONS High-temperature exposure over one week is a risk factor for acute kidney failure, urolithiasis, dysnatremia, and volume depletion. The differential model performance across temperature metrics and intraday measures indicates the importance of careful selection of exposure metrics when estimating temperature-related health burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingzhi Chu
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT 06520-8034, USA; Yale Center on Climate Change and Health, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT 06520-8034, USA.
| | - Kai Chen
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT 06520-8034, USA; Yale Center on Climate Change and Health, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT 06520-8034, USA
| | - Susan Crowley
- Department of Medicine (Nephrology), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Veterans Administration Health Care System of Connecticut, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Robert Dubrow
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT 06520-8034, USA; Yale Center on Climate Change and Health, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT 06520-8034, USA
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Lu IC, Yang CC, Huang CH, Chen SY, Lin CW, Lin CH, Chuang HY. The Risk Factors for Radiolucent Nephrolithiasis among Workers in High-Temperature Workplaces in the Steel Industry. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:15720. [PMID: 36497793 PMCID: PMC9738220 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192315720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Workers in high-temperature workplaces with inadequate water supply may exhibit symptoms of chronic dehydration and have increased risk of nephrolithiasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk of radiolucent stone formation among workers in a high-temperature workplace and the related risk factors associated with the condition. We collected data from 1681 workers in a steel factory in Southern Taiwan who underwent regular health examinations. Radiolucent stones were defined as positive findings on ultrasound with negative radiographic images. The prevalences of nephrolithiasis and radiolucent stones in this study were 12.0% and 5.1%, respectively. Heat exposure and age were two major risk factors influencing the probability of radiolucent stones. We combined the age and heat exposure into four groups (over and under 35 years of age with and without heat exposure) in a logistic regression. For workers younger than 35 years, the odds ratio of radiolucent stones was 2.695 (95% confidence interval: 1.201-6.049) in workers with heat exposure compared to workers without. Our investigation further demonstrated that heat exposure was a main risk factor for radiolucent stone formation. In conclusion, our identification of heat exposure as an independent factor for radiolucent stone development in steel workers highlights the need for attention to be paid to those working in similar environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- I-Cheng Lu
- Department of Occupational Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung City 824, Taiwan
| | - Chen-Cheng Yang
- Department of Occupational Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal Siaogang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City 812, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Hsien Huang
- Department of Family Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung City 824, Taiwan
| | - Szu-Ying Chen
- Department of Occupational Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung City 824, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Wei Lin
- Department of Family Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung City 824, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Hsiang Lin
- Department of Urology Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung City 824, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Yi Chuang
- Ph.D. Program in Environmental and Occupational Medicine, College of Medicine, and Research Center for Precision Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung City 807, Taiwan
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Aoun M, Chelala D. Where do you live and what do you do? Two questions that might impact your kidney health. FRONTIERS IN NEPHROLOGY 2022; 2:1011964. [PMID: 37675017 PMCID: PMC10479685 DOI: 10.3389/fneph.2022.1011964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
In many cases the social determinants of health need to be assessed through their interaction with environmental factors. This review looks at the impact of physical location and occupation of individuals on their kidney health. It examines the effect of living at high altitude on kidney function and the relationship between extreme cold or hot temperatures and the incidence of kidney injury. It reviews as well the many occupations that have been linked to kidney disease in high-income and low-and-middle-income countries. As a conclusion, this overview proposes preventive recommendations that could be individualized based on weather, altitude, socio-economic level of the country and occupation of the individual.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mabel Aoun
- Faculty of Medicine, Saint-Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon
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11
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Elser H, Rowland ST, Tartof SY, Parks RM, Bruxvoort K, Morello-Frosch R, Robinson SC, Pressman AR, Wei RX, Casey JA. Ambient temperature and risk of urinary tract infection in California: A time-stratified case-crossover study using electronic health records. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 165:107303. [PMID: 35635960 PMCID: PMC9233468 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the United States (US), urinary tract infections (UTI) lead to more than 10 million office visits each year. Temperature and season are potentially important risk factors for UTI, particularly in the context of climate change. METHODS We examined the relationship between ambient temperature and outpatient UTI diagnoses among patients followed from 2015 to 2017 in two California healthcare systems: Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) and Sutter Health in Northern California. We identified UTI diagnoses in adult patients using diagnostic codes and laboratory records from electronic health records. We abstracted patient age, sex, season of diagnosis, and linked community-level Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE-I, a measure of wealth and poverty concentration) based on residential address. Daily county-level average ambient temperature was assembled from the Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM). We implemented distributed lag nonlinear models (DLNM) to assess the association between UTI and lagged daily temperatures. Main analyses were confined to women. In secondary analyses, we stratified by season, healthcare system, and community-level ICE-I. RESULTS We observed 787,186 UTI cases (89% among women). We observed a threshold association between ambient temperature and UTI among women: an increase in daily temperature from the 5th percentile (6.0 ˚C) to the mean (16.2 ˚C) was associated with a 3.2% (95% CI: 2.4, 3.9%) increase in same-day UTI diagnosis rate, whereas an increase from the mean to 95th percentile was associated with no change in UTI risk (0.0%, 95% CI: -0.7, 0.6%). In secondary analyses, we observed the clearest monotonic increase in the rate of UTI diagnosis with higher temperatures in the fall. Associations did not differ meaningfully by healthcare system or community-level ICE-I. Results were robust to alternate model specifications. DISCUSSION Increasing temperature was related to higher rate of outpatient UTI, particularly in the shoulder seasons (spring, autumn).
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly Elser
- Department of Neurology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Sebastian T Rowland
- Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, United States
| | - Sara Y Tartof
- Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, United States; Health Systems Science, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Robbie M Parks
- Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, United States; Earth Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Katia Bruxvoort
- Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, United States; Department of Epidemiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Rachel Morello-Frosch
- Department of Environment, Science, Policy, and Managmeent, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States; School of Public Helath, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Sarah C Robinson
- Sutter Health Center for Health Systems Research, Walnut Creek, CA, United States
| | - Alice R Pressman
- Sutter Health Center for Health Systems Research, Walnut Creek, CA, United States; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Rong X Wei
- Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, United States
| | - Joan A Casey
- Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, 722 West 168th Street, Room 1206, New York, NY 212-304-5502, United States.
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12
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Chu L, Phung D, Crowley S, Dubrow R. Relationships between short-term ambient temperature exposure and kidney disease hospitalizations in the warm season in Vietnam: A case-crossover study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 209:112776. [PMID: 35074348 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.112776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Under a warming climate, adverse health effects of heat are an increasing concern. We evaluated associations between short-term ambient temperature exposure and hospital admission for kidney disease in Vietnam. METHODS We linked province-level meteorologic data with admission data from 14 province-level hospitals (2003-2015). We used a case-crossover design to evaluate associations between daily ambient temperature metrics (mean, maximum, and minimum temperature and mean heat index) and risk of hospitalization for four kidney disease subtypes: glomerular diseases, renal tubulo-interstitial diseases, chronic kidney disease, and urolithiasis, including lagged (≤lag 14 days) and cumulative (≤lag 0-6 days) associations, during the warm season. We also evaluated independent associations with extreme heat days (defined as days with daily maximum temperature >95th percentile of the provincial daily maximum temperature distribution). Akaike's information criterion and patterns of risk estimates across cumulative exposure time windows and single-day lags informed our selection of final models. RESULTS We included 58,330 hospital admissions during the warm season. Daily mean temperature averaged over the same day and the previous six days (lag 0-6 days) was associated with risk of hospitalization for each kidney disease outcome with odds ratios (per 1 °C increase in daily mean temperature) of 1.07 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.99, 1.16) for glomerular diseases, 1.06 (95% CI: 0.96, 1.17) for renal tubulo-interstitial diseases, 1.12 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.24) for chronic kidney disease, and 1.09 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.16) for urolithiasis. We found no additional independent associations with extreme heat. Results for the four temperature metrics were similar. CONCLUSIONS High ambient temperature was associated with increased risk of hospitalization for each kidney disease subtype, with the most convincing associations for chronic kidney disease and urolithiasis. Further laboratory and epidemiologic research is needed to confirm the findings and disentangle the underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingzhi Chu
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8034, USA; Yale Center on Climate Change and Health, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8034, USA.
| | - Dung Phung
- School of Public Health, University of Queensland, 288 Herston Road, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Susan Crowley
- Department of Medicine (Nephrology), Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA; Veterans Administration Health Care System of Connecticut, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Robert Dubrow
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8034, USA; Yale Center on Climate Change and Health, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT, 06520-8034, USA
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13
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Huang LJ, Zha JJ, Cao NW, Zhou HY, Chu XJ, Wang H, Li XB, Li BZ. Temperature might increase the hospital admission risk for rheumatoid arthritis patients in Anqing, China: a time-series study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2022; 66:201-211. [PMID: 34718869 PMCID: PMC8557265 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-021-02207-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Temperature has been studied in relation to many health outcomes. However, few studies have explored its effect on the risk of hospital admission for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) was used to analyze associations between mean temperature, diurnal temperature range (DTR), temperature change between neighboring days (TCN), and daily admissions for RA from 2015 to 2019 in Anqing, China. Subgroup analyses based on age, gender, rheumatoid factors, and admission route were performed. In total, 1456 patients with RA were hospitalized. Regarding the cumulative-lag effects of extreme cold temperature (5th percentile = 3℃), the risks of admissions for RA were increased and highest at lag 0-11 (RR = 2.68, 95% CI: 1.23-5.86). Exposing to low (5th percentile = 1.9℃) and high (95th percentile = 14.2℃) DTRs both had increased risks of RA admission, with highest RRs of 1.40 (95% CI: 1.03-1.91) and 1.24 (95% CI: 1.0-1.53) at lag 0 day, respectively. As for TCN, the marginal risk of admission in RA patients was found when exposed to high TCN (95th percentile = 2.9℃) with the largest single-day effect at lag 10 (RR = 1.11, 95% CI: 1.01-1.23). In subgroup analyses, females were more susceptible to extreme cold temperature, low and high DTRs, and high TCN. In regard to extreme cold temperature, significant risk of hospital admission in females only appeared at lag 2 (RR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.02-2.15) and lag 0-2 (RR = 2.35, 95% CI: 1.11-4.95). It is clear that RA patients exposed to changing temperature may increase risks of admission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Juan Huang
- Medical Department, The Affiliated Anqing Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anqing, Anhui, China
| | - Jun-Jing Zha
- Medical Department, The Affiliated Anqing Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anqing, Anhui, China
| | - Nv-Wei Cao
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Hao-Yue Zhou
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Xiu-Jie Chu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Hua Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Xian-Bao Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Bao-Zhu Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.
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14
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Liu J, Varghese BM, Hansen A, Borg MA, Zhang Y, Driscoll T, Morgan G, Dear K, Gourley M, Capon A, Bi P. Hot weather as a risk factor for kidney disease outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological evidence. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 801:149806. [PMID: 34467930 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The occurrence or exacerbation of kidney disease has been documented as a growing problem associated with hot weather. The implementation of effective prevention measures requires a better understanding of the risk factors that increase susceptibility. To fill gaps in knowledge, this study reviews the current literature on the effects of heat on kidney-disease outcomes (ICD-10 N00-N39), including morbidity and mortality. METHODS Databases were systematically searched for relevant literature published between 1990 and 2020 and the quality of evidence evaluated. We performed random effects meta-analysis to calculate the pooled relative risks (RRs) of the association between high temperatures (and heatwaves) and kidney disease outcomes. We further evaluated vulnerability concerning contextual population characteristics. RESULTS Of 2739 studies identified, 91 were reviewed and 82 of these studies met the criteria for inclusion in a meta-analysis. Findings showed that with a 1 °C increase in temperature, the risk of kidney-related morbidity increased by 1% (RR 1.010; 95% CI: 1.009-1.011), with the greatest risk for urolithiasis. Heatwaves were also associated with increased morbidity with a trend observed with heatwave intensity. During low-intensity heatwaves, there was an increase of 5.9% in morbidity, while during high-intensity heatwaves there was a 7.7% increase. There were greater RRs for males, people aged ≤64 years, and those living in temperate climate zones. Similarly, for every 1 °C temperature increase, there was a 3% (RR 1.031; 95% CI: 1.018-1.045) increase in the risk of kidney-related mortality, which also increased during heatwaves. CONCLUSIONS High temperatures (and heatwaves) are associated with an elevated risk of kidney disease outcomes, particularly urolithiasis. Preventive measures that may minimize risks in vulnerable individuals during hot spells are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Liu
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Australia
| | | | - Alana Hansen
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Australia
| | - Matthew A Borg
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Australia
| | - Ying Zhang
- Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Timothy Driscoll
- Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Geoffrey Morgan
- Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Keith Dear
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Australia
| | - Michelle Gourley
- Burden of Disease and Mortality Unit, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Australia
| | - Anthony Capon
- Monash Sustainable Development Institute, Monash University, Australia
| | - Peng Bi
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Australia.
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15
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Lin YK, Zafirah Y, Ke MT, Andhikaputra G, Wang YC. The effects of extreme temperatures on emergency room visits-a population-based analysis by age, sex, and comorbidity. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2021; 65:2087-2098. [PMID: 34173056 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-021-02166-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This study evaluated the effect of extreme temperatures on events requiring emergency room visits (ERVs) for hypertensive disease, ischemic heart disease (IHD), cerebrovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) for population stratified by sex and age living in Taiwan's metropolitan city from 2000 to 2014. The distributed lag non-linear model was adopted to examine the association between ambient temperature and area-age-sex-disease-specific ERVs for a population aged 40 years and above. The reference temperature was defined by a percentile value to describe the temperature in each city. Area-age-sex-disease-specific relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated in association with extreme high (99th percentile) and low (5th percentile) temperatures. Temperature-related ERV risks varied by area, age, sex, and disease. Patients with CKD tend to have comorbidities with hypertensive disease. All study populations with hypertensive disease have significant risk associations with extreme low temperatures with the highest RR of 2.64 (95% CI: 2.08, 3.36) appearing in New Taipei City. The risk of IHD was significantly associated with extreme high temperature for male subpopulation aged 40-64 years. A less significant association was observed between the risks of cerebrovascular disease with extreme temperature. The risk of CKD was most significantly associated with extreme high temperature especially for a subpopulation aged 40-64 years. All study subpopulations with hypertensive disease have significant risk associations with extreme low temperature. Male subpopulations were more vulnerable to extreme temperatures, especially for those aged 40-64 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Kai Lin
- Department of Health and Welfare, University of Taipei, 101 Zhongcheng Road Sec. 2, Taipei, 111, Taiwan
| | - Yasmin Zafirah
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Chung Yuan Christian University, 200 Chung-Pei Road, Zhongli, 320, Taiwan
| | - Meng-Ting Ke
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Chung Yuan Christian University, 200 Chung-Pei Road, Zhongli, 320, Taiwan
| | - Gerry Andhikaputra
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Chung Yuan Christian University, 200 Chung-Pei Road, Zhongli, 320, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chun Wang
- Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Chung Yuan Christian University, 200 Chung-Pei Road, Zhongli, 320, Taiwan.
- Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Road, Section 2, Nankang, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan.
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16
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Lu P, Xia G, Zhao Q, Green D, Lim YH, Li S, Guo Y. Attributable risks of hospitalizations for urologic diseases due to heat exposure in Queensland, Australia, 1995-2016. Int J Epidemiol 2021; 51:144-154. [PMID: 34508576 PMCID: PMC8855997 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyab189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Heat exposure is a risk factor for urologic diseases. However, there are limited existing studies that have examined the relationship between high temperatures and urologic disease. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between heat exposure and hospitalizations for urologic diseases in Queensland, Australia, during the hot seasons of 1995-2016 and to quantify the attributable risks. METHODS We obtained 238 427 hospitalized cases with urologic diseases from Queensland Health between 1 December 1995 and 31 December 2016. Meteorological data were collected from the Scientific Information for Land Owners-a publicly accessible database of Australian climate data that provides daily data sets for a range of climate variables. A time-stratified, case-crossover design fitted with the conditional quasi-Poisson regression model was used to estimate the associations between temperature and hospitalizations for urologic diseases at the postcode level during each hot season (December-March). Attributable rates of hospitalizations for urologic disease due to heat exposure were calculated. Stratified analyses were performed by age, sex, climate zone, socio-economic factors and cause-specific urologic diseases. RESULTS We found that a 1°C increase in temperature was associated with a 3.3% [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.9%, 3.7%] increase in hospitalization for the selected urologic diseases during the hot season. Hospitalizations for renal failure showed the strongest increase 5.88% (95% CI: 5.25%, 6.51%) among the specific causes of hospital admissions considered. Males and the elderly (≥60 years old) showed stronger associations with heat exposure than females and younger groups. The sex- and age-specific associations with heat exposure were similar across specific causes of urologic diseases. Overall, nearly one-fifth of hospitalizations for urologic diseases were attributable to heat exposure in Queensland. CONCLUSIONS Heat exposure is associated with increased hospitalizations for urologic disease in Queensland during the hot season. This finding reinforces the pressing need for dedicated public health-promotion campaigns that target susceptible populations, especially for those more predisposed to renal failure. Given that short-term climate projections identify an increase in the frequency, duration and intensity of heatwaves, this public health advisory will be of increasing urgency in coming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Lu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Management, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Guoxin Xia
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Management, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Qi Zhao
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Donna Green
- Climate Change Research Centre and ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Youn-Hee Lim
- Section of Environmental Health, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Shanshan Li
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yuming Guo
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Management, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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17
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Ghada W, Estrella N, Pfoerringer D, Kanz KG, Bogner-Flatz V, Ankerst DP, Menzel A. Effects of weather, air pollution and Oktoberfest on ambulance-transported emergency department admissions in Munich, Germany. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 755:143772. [PMID: 33229084 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Climate change and increasing risks of extreme weather events affect human health and lead to changes in the emergency department (ED) admissions and the emergency medical services (EMS) operations. For a better allocation of resources in the healthcare system, it is essential to predict ED numbers based on environmental variables. This publication aims to quantify weather, air pollution and calendar-related effects on daily ED admissions. METHODS Analyses were based on 575,725 admissions from the web-based IVENA system recording all patients in the greater Munich area with pre-hospital emergency care in ambulance operations during 2014-2018. Linear models were used to identify statistically significant associations between daily ED admissions and calendar, meteorological and pollution factors, allowing for lag effects of one to three days. Separate analyses were performed for seasons, with additional subset analyses by sex, age and surgical versus internal department. RESULTS ED admissions were exceptionally high during the three-week Oktoberfest, particularly for males and on the weekends, as well as during the New Year holiday. Admissions significantly increased during the years of study, decreased in spring and summer holidays, and were lower on Sundays while higher on Mondays. In the warmer seasons, admissions were significantly associated with higher temperature, adjusting for the effects of sunshine and humidity in all age groups except for the elderly. Adverse weather conditions in non-summer seasons were either linked to increasing ED admissions (from storms, gust) or decreasing them from rain. Mostly, but not exclusively, in winter, increasing ED admissions were associated with colder minimum temperatures as well as with higher NO and PM10 concentrations. CONCLUSIONS In addition to standard calendar-related factors, incorporating seasonal weather, air pollutant and interactions with patient demographics into resource planning models can improve the daily allocation of resources and staff of EMS operations at hospital and city levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wael Ghada
- TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany.
| | - Nicole Estrella
- TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Dominik Pfoerringer
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Unfallchirurgie, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Karl-Georg Kanz
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Unfallchirurgie, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany; Emergency Medical Services Authority, Munich, Germany
| | - Viktoria Bogner-Flatz
- Emergency Medical Services Authority, Munich, Germany; Department of General, Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery, Ludwig Maximilians University Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Donna P Ankerst
- TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany; Department of Mathematics, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Annette Menzel
- TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany; Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
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