Impact of the lunar cycle on the incidence of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage: myth or reality?
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the impact of the lunar cycle on the incidence of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhages.


METHODS
We retrospectively identified all patients admitted to the department of neurosurgery during 1992 and 2004 suffering from aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage. The onset of bleeding was compared with the lunar phase.


RESULTS
We did not observe any significant impact of the lunar cycle on the incidence of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage in 717 consecutive patients (p=0.84).


CONCLUSIONS
The impact of the lunar cycle on aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage is a myth rather than reality.
Lahner
Daniel
D
Department of Anaesthesia, General Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Management, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringerguertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria. daniel.lahner@meduniwien.ac.at
Marhold
Franz
F
Gruber
Andreas
A
Schramm
Wolfgang
W
D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005495:Folklore; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016081:Moon; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed