哮喘联盟

   摘要
   目的：本项目旨在研究长时间的低温环境是否与哮喘患者的住院率增加相关。
   方法：我们统计美国纽约医院中1991－2006期间每年11月至次年4月份间主要诊断为哮喘的住院病例数。寒潮被定义为患者入院前一周内有连续三天或以上的日平均体感温度（UAT）位于10百分位及以下。采用时间序列分析，观察寒潮期间及寒潮后哮喘患者的住院率与寒潮前相比是否有改变。
   结果：冬天寒潮期间的平均温度为-15 °C（每年12月到次年3月），而11月和4月寒潮期间的平均温度分别为-6 °C和-2 °C。在冬季寒潮期间，全洲范围内哮喘患者的住院率平均下降4.9%（95 % 可信区间： -7.8%～-1.9 %）。冬季寒潮过后，哮喘患者的住院率没有明显变化。但是，在冬季过渡月期间（11月和4月），寒潮过后哮喘患者的住院率显著增加（11月：平均住院率9.6%，95 % 可信区间，5.5%～13.9 %；4月：平均住院率5.0%，95 % 可信区间，1.2%～9.0 %）。
   结论：本项止的研究结果表明，在长时间的严寒中，哮喘患者可能对药物治疗的依从性更好，其在寒冷环境中的暴露次数减少，从而减少哮喘恶化的次数。然而，在相对较温和的月份里（比如11月和4月），其对行为方式的注意可能并没有那么明显。
 

（苏楠 审校）
Lung. 2014 Oct 11. [Epub ahead of print]

 

Cold Spells and the Risk of Hospitalization for Asthma: New York, USA 1991-2006.
 

Fitzgerald EF1, Pantea C, Lin S.

Abstract
PURPOSE: A study was conducted to investigate whether prolonged periods of very cold temperatures were associated with an increased risk of hospitalization for asthma.
METHODS: Hospitalization admissions with a principal diagnosis of asthma were identified in New York State, USA, for the months November through April from 1991 to 2006. A cold spell was defined as three or more consecutive days where the daily mean of universal apparent temperature (UAT) within a week prior to admission was at the 10th percentile or less. The percentage change in asthma hospitalizations during and after a cold spell was compared to the average daily number of hospitalizations preceding the cold spell using time series analysis.
RESULTS: The average temperature during winter cold spells (December through March) was -15 °C, compared to -6 and -2 °C for cold spells in November and April, respectively. Cold spells during the winter months were associated with a mean decline of 4.9 % in asthma admissions statewide (95 % CI -7.8, -1.9 %). After a cold spell, no statistically significant changes were apparent during the winter months, but asthma hospitalizations increased after cold spells in the transitional months of November (mean = 9.6, 95 % CI 5.5, 13.9 %) and April (mean = 5.0, 95 % CI 1.2, 9.0 %).
CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that during prolonged periods of severe cold asthmatics may adhere to medical guidelines and limit their exposure, thereby preventing exacerbations. They may be less likely to alter their behavior in the more moderate months of November and April.
 

Lung. 2014 Oct 11. [Epub ahead of print]