title: The influence of the full moon on the number of admissions related to gastrointestinal bleeding.
abstract: The objective of this study was to analyse whether the number of admissions for gastrointestinal bleeding to our bleeding unit increases during the full moon. In a prospective study, we included 447 consecutive patients with gastrointestinal haemorrhage admitted to our bleeding unit during a period of two years. The number of admissions was allocated to the corresponding day of the lunar cycle, and full moon and non-full moon days were compared. A wide variation in the number of admissions throughout the lunar cycle was observed. There were 26 admissions on the 25 days of full moon and 421 admissions in the remaining 713 days of non-full moon. This difference was mainly related to a higher incidence of haemorrhage in men and variceal haemorrhage at full moon. The results of this study suggest an increase in the number of admissions related to gastrointestinal haemorrhage in our bleeding unit during the full moon, especially in men and in patients experiencing variceal haemorrhage. However, the wide variation in the number of admissions throughout the lunar cycle could limit interpretation of the results. Therefore, further studies are needed to clarify the possible influence of the moon on gastrointestinal haemorrhage.
authors.affiliation: Bleeding Unit, Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Avgda. Sant Antoni Ma. Claret 167, 08025 Barcelona, Spain. eroman@hsp.santpau.es
authors.forename: Eva María
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Román
authors.forename: Germán
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Soriano
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fuentes
authors.forename: María Luz
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Gálvez
authors.forename: Clotilde
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fernández
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015984:Causality; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006285:Health Planning; D016519:Hospitals, Religious; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016081:Moon; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010507:Periodicity; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology