Relationship Between Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage and Climatic Conditions in the Subtropical Region, Amami-Oshima, in Japan

Abstract

Epidemiological studies of the relationship between climate and the onset of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) have been reported in the temperate and subarctic latitudes. However, the relationship between the incidence of aneurysmal SAH and the climatic variations in the subtropical region remains uncertain. Epidemiological analysis requires study of an extremely isolated area. This study analyzed the relationship between the onset of aneurysmal SAH and climatic conditions in the isolated subtropical island of Amami-Oshima in Japan. During an 11-year period from 1986 to 1996, 210 patients with a primary diagnosis of aneurysmal SAH were identified by computed tomography and angiography. The mean annual age-adjusted incidence of aneurysmal SAH was 15.5 per 100,000 population (10.4 for males and 20.6 for females). No significant seasonal variations in the incidence of aneurysmal SAH and admission clustering were observed in males (p > 0.05) or females (p > 0.05). Furthermore, temperature, atmospheric pressure, and relative humidity were not significantly cor related with the monthly incidence of aneurysmal SAH. However, the occurrence of aneurysmal SAH tended to be higher in both females and the elderly during the winter and spring seasons and not during other seasons. This study indicates that seasonal and climatic conditions do not strongly contribute to the incidence of aneurysmal SAH in subtropical regions. However, elderly people are affected more by climatic conditions than young people.

Involvement of Meteorological Factors and Sex in the Occurrence of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Japan

“…SAH was thought to be due to aneurysm rupture in more than 97% of patients based on their medical history. The crude annual incidental rate of SAH in the present study was 18 per 100 000, which is similar to the previously reported annual age-and sex-adjusted incident rates of 23 and 15.5 per 100 000 in Japan, 10,25) so the patients in this study may be representative of the community population. Climate changes such as daily temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure have been proposed to influence seasonal patterns of SAH occurrence in previous studies.…”

Guidelines for the Management of Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

“…52 This, however, was not found in a Japanese study. 53 Finally, another study found a modest correlation between atmospheric pressure and change in pressure and number of SAHs per day. 54 Certain genetic syndromes have also been associated with an increased risk of SAH and support the concept of inherited susceptibility to aneurysm formation.…”

The Cultural Context of “Successful Aging” Among Older Women Weavers in a Northern Okinawan Village: The Role of Productive Activity

“…J. Willcox, D. C. Willcox, He, Curb, & Suzuki, 2006) and lifestyle determinants Long-standing differences in a complex mix of culture, social organization, and health practices persist between Okinawa and the rest of Japan that seem to have given the current generation of Okinawan elders an edge. 12 Previously explored factors that may be responsible for the Okinawan longevity advantage include: healthier eating patterns that include a diet low in caloric density but high in nutrient density (Bernstein et al, 2004;Chan, Suzuki, & Yamamoto, 1997;Suzuki, B. J. Willcox, & D. C. Willcox, 2001;Todoriki et al, 2004;Wilcox et al., 2004;Willcox, 2005); a geographical north-to-south gradient in life expectancy that may be partially related to climatic factors and lifestyle differences between northerners and southerners (Okamoto & Yagyu, 1998;Oyoshi, Nakayama, & Kuratsu, 1999;Tanaka et al, 2000); 13 high social integration and social support for and between elderly adults, particularly women (Cockerham, Hattori, & Yamori, 2000;Goto et al, 2003;Sered, 1999;; and a unique post-war public health care system that was highly effective in eliminating endemic infectious disease and that focuses upon intensive health screening to eliminate disease in its early stages (Omine, Sunagawa, Higa, Nakazato, & Sakihara, 1995;Sakihara & Abe, 1996). 14 Other unique factors may be operating within this particular cultural context that have yet to be explored.…”