Key result
Meteorological factors, specifically cold and wet seasons and sudden changes in diurnal temperature, were significantly correlated with peak incidence of bronchiolitis hospitalizations.
Why the study?
Do meteorological factors correlate with the incidence of bronchiolitis hospitalizations in North-western Greece?
Observational (n=792)
No
Do meteorological factors correlate with the incidence of bronchiolitis hospitalizations in North-western Greece?
Bronchiolitis hospitalizations in North-western Greece peak during cold and wet seasons and correlate significantly with temperature and precipitation changes.
May inform local seasonal surveillance in Greece; leaves open causal links and generalizability beyond this observational cohort.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between meteorological factors in North-western Greece and the incidence of bronchiolitis. METHODS: Meteorological data (air temperature and rainfall) for Ioannina city in North-western Greece and medical data from hospitalised patients at University Hospital of Ioannina were collected between January 2002 and December 2013. The association between meteorological factors and rate of hospitalisation due to bronchiolitis was investigated. The data processing was done using the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient and applying the chi-square test at contingency tables of the parameters. RESULTS: Of the 792 hospitalised cases, 670 related to infants (<1 year) and 122 concerned patients aged 1-2 years old. The disease is more common among boys (59.5%) than girls (40.5%). The disease course through the year has a double variation with a main maximum in March and a main minimum in August. The statistical study showed statistically significant correlation of bronchiolitis with: (a) the temperature parameters on an annual basis; (b) precipitation in autumn and dryness in spring; and (c) with sudden changes in diurnal temperature range on an annual basis. CONCLUSION: A peak incidence of bronchiolitis was noticed in cold and wet seasons during the five days preceding hospitalisation.
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Tsabouri et al. (2017) conducted an observational in Bronchiolitis (n=792). Meteorological factors (temperature and rainfall) was evaluated on Correlation between meteorological factors and rate of hospitalisation due to bronchiolitis. Meteorological factors, specifically cold and wet seasons and sudden changes in diurnal temperature, were significantly correlated with peak incidence of bronchiolitis hospitalizations.
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