Impact of the lunar cycle on the incidence of intracranial aneurysm rupture: myth or reality?
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the impact of the lunar cycle and season on the incidence of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).


METHODS
The medical records of 111 patients who were admitted over a 5-year period to our department because of aneurysmal SAH were retrospectively reviewed. The date of aneurysm rupture was matched with the corresponding season and moon phase.


RESULTS
An incidence peak for aneurysm rupture (28 patients) was seen during the phase of new moon, which was statistically significant (p < 0.001). In contrast, no seasonal variation in the incidence of SAH was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
The lunar cycle seems to affect the incidence of intracranial aneurysm rupture, with the new moon being associated with an increased risk of aneurysmal SAH.
Ali
Youssef
Y
Department of Neurosurgery, Saint-Joseph University and Hôtel-Dieu de France, Ashrafieh, Beirut, Lebanon.
Rahme
Ralph
R
Matar
Nayla
N
Ibrahim
Ibrahim
I
Menassa-Moussa
Lina
L
Maarrawi
Joseph
J
Rizk
Tony
T
Nohra
Georges
G
Okais
Nabil
N
Samaha
Elie
E
Moussa
Ronald
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D017542:Aneurysm, Ruptured / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002980:Climate; D005260:Female; D005495:Folklore; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007861:Lebanon / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016081:Moon; D010507:Periodicity; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous / Q000453:epidemiology; D012621:Seasons