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Climatic variables are associated with seasonal acute asthma admissions to accident and emergency room facilities in Trinidad, West Indies
Author(s) -
Ivey M. A.,
Simeon D. T.,
Monteil M. A.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
clinical and experimental allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.462
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1365-2222
pISSN - 0954-7894
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2222.2003.01801.x
Subject(s) - asthma , medicine , demography , dry season , emergency department , geography , cartography , psychiatry , sociology
Summary Objectives To determine if there is seasonal variation in acute asthmatic visits to accident and emergency (A&E) facilities in Trinidad and to identify the climatic variables associated with such visits. Design and methods A retrospective census of patients with asthma, defined as those who required emergency bronchodilator nebulization, was taken at two A&E facilities in Trinidad from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 1999. The study included patients aged 64 years and under. Patient demographic data were obtained from the A&E records. Climate variables were taken from the island's sole Meteorological Office. Multiple regression was used to identify climate variables that were independent predictors of A&E asthma visits. Results There were a total of 45 842 asthma admissions to the two facilities during the study period. Visits exhibited a cyclic pattern over the 3 years that varied according to the island's dry (January–May) and wet (June–December) seasons. There were more visits during the wet season than the dry (40 [SD=2] vs. 32 [SD=2] visits/day; P <0.001). The results of multiple regression indicated that season ( P <0.001), barometric pressure ( P <0.001), temperature difference ( P <0.001), minimum temperature 2 ( P <0.001) and wind speed 2 ( P =0.032) were predictors of paediatric visits. Independent predictors of adult visits were season ( P <0.001), relative humidity ( P <0.001), minimum temperature ( P =0.01), temperature difference 2 ( P <0.001) and minimum temperature 2 ( P =0.004). Season and climatic variables explained 18% of the variance of the total A&E asthma admissions. Conclusion There is seasonal variation in acute asthma visits to A&E facilities in Trinidad, which remains significant after controlling for climate variables. However, while climate has a role, there are other factors that may also be responsible for increased visits during the wet season. More research is needed to identify these factors.