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Prevalence and Course of Stroke and its Meteorological Variables

Mark Twain

To elucidate relationships between meteorological variables and incidence of stroke, we
studied patients diagnosed with stroke after presenting to the emergency department.
Patient demographics and medical data were reviewed retrospectively with regional
meteorological data. Across 467 days, 134 stroke events were recorded on 114 days. On
stroke days, maximum temperature (max 𝑇) and atmospheric pressure (AP) combined
were a significant predictor of stroke (max 𝑇 odds ratio (OR) = 1.014, 95% confidence
interval (CI) = 1.003–1.026, and 𝑃 = 0.04; AP: OR = 1.033, 95% CI = 0.997–1.071, and 𝑃 =
0.02). When the patient could identify the hour of the stroke, average temperature (avg
𝑇) was significantly higher than nonstroke hours (18.2∘C versus 16.16∘C, 𝑃 = 0.04). Daily
fluctuations in AP and avg 𝑇 also had significant effects on stroke incidence (AP: OR =
0.629, 95% CI = 0.512–0.773, and 𝑃 = 0.0001; avg 𝑇 OR = 1.1399, 95% CI = 1.218–606, and
𝑃 = 0.0001). Patient age, stroke history, body mass index, ethnicity, and sex were further
contributors to stroke risk. Temperature, atmospheric pressure, and certain physiological
conditions likely play roles in weather-related stroke susceptibility. The mechanisms
driving these associations are not fully understood.