title: Influence of meteorological factors on acute aortic events in a subtropical territory.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to examine the relationship between weather changes and acute aortic events in a subtropical territory.
  
  
  METHODS
  A linear regression analysis was performed in a pan-territory epidemiological survey for a period of 10 years on the impacts of meteorological factors (ambient temperature, atmospheric pressure, relative humidity, amount of cloud, rainfall, number of lightning strikes, presence of typhoon, and thunderstorm warning) on the daily incidences of acute aortic dissections and ruptured aortic aneurysms. Meteorological variables were retrieved on a daily basis from a well-established observatory, and the daily incidences of aortic dissections and rupture of aortic aneurysms were retrieved from the Clinical Data Analysis and Reporting System.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period (January 2005 to December 2014), 3878 patients were identified as having acute aortic dissections, and 1174 patients had ruptured aortic aneurysms. Corresponding averaged daily incidences were 1.06 and 0.32, respectively. The incidences of aortic dissection and ruptured aortic aneurysm in a day could be predicted by ambient temperature in degrees Celsius using the following linear regression models: (1) incidence of aortic dissection = 1.548 - 0.021 × temperature; (2) incidence of ruptured aortic aneurysm = 0.564 - 0.010 × temperature. In addition, both high atmospheric pressure and absence of thunderstorm warning are positively associated with more aortic dissections. For rupture of aortic aneurysms, high atmospheric pressure and low relative humidity were positive predictors. In multiple regression analysis, however, ambient temperature was the only significant predictor for both acute aortic dissections and ruptured aortic aneurysms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first pan-territory study to show an attributable effect of ambient temperature on acute aortic events. This paper confirms that even in a subtropical country, meteorological variables were important factors influencing acute aortic events.
authors: Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Law
authors: Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. Electronic address: ycchan88@hkucc.hku.hk.
authors: Y C
authors: YC
authors: Chan
authors: Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors: S W
authors: SW
authors: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D014887:Weather
keywords: acute aortic dissection; acute aortic events; ambient temperature; humidity; pressure; ruptured aortic aneurysm; thunderstorm; weather