Abstract 1540: Weather/Temperature Change and Heart Disease

Abstract

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Although recent studies have examined the effect of weather on acute coronary syndrome and heart failure, few have examined the influence of extreme weather and rapid temperature change on emergency department admissions for acute coronary syndrome and heart failure, METHODS: We reviewed presentations of acute coronary syndrome (n = 2381) and heart failure (n = 1802) for the years 2003 to 2006 at an urban Level I Trauma Center and Accredited Chest Pain Center, examining presentation frequency on the warmest and coldest days of their respective years. In addition, we examined the frequency of presentation on days where the absolute difference between the mean temperature of one day and the next differed by 5, 10, and 15 degrees Fahrenheit. For each of these sample sets, we analyzed the data by gender and age. RESULTS: Frequency of presentation did not significantly change on the hottest and coldest days of the year for acute coronary syndrome (p = 0.89 hot, p = 0.63 cold) or heart failure (p = 0.51 cold, p = 0.66 hot). No significant correlation was noted between gender and temperature extremes for acute coronary syndrome (p = 0.71 cold, p = 0.62 hot) or for heart failure (p = 0.83 cold, p = 0.59 hot). Age was not significantly correlated with temperature extremes for presentations of acute coronary syndrome (p = 0.72 cold, p = 0.63 hot) or heart failure (p = 0.95 cold, p = 0.99 hot). Changes in presentation frequency for either acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or heart failure (HF) at ΔT = 5°F were not significant (p = 0.70 ACS, p = 0.67 HF), nor were they significant at ΔT = 10°F (p = 0.97 ACS, p = 0.26 HF) or ΔT = 15°F (p = 0.17 ACS, p = 0.57 HF). CONCLUSIONS: In theses patients, no significant correlations were noted between extreme weather events, temperature change and the presentation of acute coronary syndrome. In addition, no significant correlations were found between temperature differentials of 5, 10, or 15 °F and a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome or heart failure.