title: Does rheumatoid arthritis disease activity correlate with weather conditions?
abstract: To determine whether rheumatoid arthritis disease activity correlates with changing weather conditions. A longitudinal analysis of 133 patients attending the Department of Rheumatology, Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast was performed. Participants had a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis and were receiving subcutaneous anti-TNF therapy (Adalimumab or Etanercept) for a period of >6 months. Data were collected at five time points. This included tender joint count, swollen joint count, patient visual analogue score (VAS), erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, VAS, and DAS-28 (Disease Activity Score). Each weather factor (maximum, minimum temperature, pressure, rainfall, sunshine, humidity, and wind-speed) was analysed against each patients' DAS-28 score at five time points, using an analysis of covariance. A significant correlation was noted between low DAS-28 and increased hours of sunshine (p < 0.001). Sunny conditions were associated with a DAS-28 reduction of 0.037 (95 % CI -0.059, -0.016) p < 0.001. A significant correlation between humidity and DAS-28 was also noted (p = 0.016). Increased humidity was associated with an increased DAS-28 of 0.007 (95 % CI 0.001, 0.013) p = 0.016. Higher temperatures were associated with a non-significant decrease in DAS-28 (p = 0.16). In this study, rheumatoid arthritis disease activity (as measured by DAS-28) was significantly lower in both more sunny and less humid conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Musgrave Park Hospital, Stockman's Lane, Belfast, BT9 7JB, Northern Ireland, UK, savageeimear@gmail.com.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Savage
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McCormick
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stevenson
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Cairns
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D000068800:Etanercept / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011891:Rain; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013472:Sunlight; D013696:Temperature; D014887:Weather; D014919:Wind
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D000068879:Adalimumab; D000068800:Etanercept