Influence of ambient temperature and diurnal temperature range on incidence of cardiac arrhythmias

Abstract

We investigated the association between ambient temperature and diurnal temperature range (DTR) and the exacerbation of arrhythmia symptoms, using data from 31,629 arrhythmia-related emergency department (ED) visits in Seoul, Korea. Linear regression analyses with allowances for over-dispersion were applied to temperature variables and ED visits, adjusted for various environmental factors. The effects were expressed as percentage changes in the risk of arrhythmia-related ED visits up to 5 days later, with 95 % confidence intervals (CI), per 1 °C increase in DTR and 1 °C decrease in mean temperature. The overall risk of ED visits increased by 1.06 % (95 % CI 0.39 %, 1.73 %) for temperature and by 1.84 % (0.34, 3.37 %) for DTR. A season-specific effect was detected for temperature during both fall (1.18 % [0.01, 2.37 %]) and winter (0.87 % [0.07, 1.67 %]), and for DTR during spring (3.76 % [0.34, 7.29 %]). Females were more vulnerable, with 1.57 % [0.56, 2.59 %] and 3.84 % [1.53, 6.20 %] for the changes in temperature and DTR, respectively. An age-specific effect was detected for DTR, with 3.13 % [0.95, 5.36 %] for age ≥ 65 years, while a greater increased risk with temperature decrease was observed among those aged <65 (1.08 % [0.17, 2.00 %]) than among those aged ≥65 (1.02 % [0.06, 1.99 %]). Cardiac arrest was inversely related with temperature (1.61 % [0.46, 2.79 %]), while other cardiac arrhythmias depended more on the change in DTR (4.72 % [0.37, 9.26 %]). These findings provide evidence that low-temperature and elevated DTR influence the occurrence of arrhythmia exacerbations or symptoms, suggesting a possible strategy for reducing risk by encouraging vulnerable populations to minimize exposure.

Climate change and cardiovascular disease: implications for global health

“…In a subgroup analysis, women and older individuals aged ≥65 years were more susceptible to changes in diurnal temperature range than their male and younger counterparts, respectively 95 . The types of cardiac arrhythmias assessed in the study included, but were not limited to, cardiac arrest, paroxysmal tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, and other atrial and ventricular arrhythmias 95 . In another study examining 5,038 implantable cardioverter-defibrillator activations in London, UK, during 1995-2003, the risk of ventricular arrhythmias increased by 1.2% for every 1°C decrease in ambient temperature 96 .…”

“…Given the broad range of arrhythmia subtypes and the heterogeneity of arrhythmia end points, the association between ambient temperature and cardiac arrhythmias is not well understood. A study of 31,629 arrhythmia-related emergency department visits in Seoul, South Korea, reported that each 1°C decrease in mean temperature and each 1°C increase in diurnal temperature range was associated with an increase in the attributable risk of cardiac arrhythmias by 1.06% and 1.84%, respectively 95 . In a subgroup analysis, women and older individuals aged ≥65 years were more susceptible to changes in diurnal temperature range than their male and younger counterparts, respectively 95 .…”

“…A study of 31,629 arrhythmia-related emergency department visits in Seoul, South Korea, reported that each 1°C decrease in mean temperature and each 1°C increase in diurnal temperature range was associated with an increase in the attributable risk of cardiac arrhythmias by 1.06% and 1.84%, respectively 95 . In a subgroup analysis, women and older individuals aged ≥65 years were more susceptible to changes in diurnal temperature range than their male and younger counterparts, respectively 95 . The types of cardiac arrhythmias assessed in the study included, but were not limited to, cardiac arrest, paroxysmal tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, and other atrial and ventricular arrhythmias 95 .…”

Markers for Global Climate Change and Its Impact on Social, Biological and Ecological Systems: A Review

“…The major impact of global warming is rising incidences of allergic diseases (Chan et al, 2018) communicable and life style diseases (Mohammadi et al, 2018). Variation in temperature severely imposes cardiac arrhythmias and cardiovascular effects in stressed people (Kim & Kim, 2017;Liu et al, 2015). Increase in intermediate or reservoir host species will support the increase in number of infectious agent (Lunde & Lindtjørn, 2013).…”

Augmented temperature fluctuation aggravates muscular atrophy through the gut microbiota

“…Increased DTR also functions as a potential trigger for childhood asthma 6 , multiple sclerosis 7 , acute upper respiratory tract infections 8 . In addition, large daily temperature fluctuation promotes blood pressure 9 and arrhythmia 10 , leading to the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases 11 , 12 . However, how DTR affects physiological status remains largely unclear.…”