Wendy Schreurs, Tjard Ronald Jacob Schermer, Reinier Peter Akkermans, Erik Wiely Maria Anton Bischoff, Hilde Dymphna Luijks
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引用次数: 1
Abstract
Due to climate change, air temperature in the Netherlands has gradually increased. Higher temperatures lead to longer pollen seasons. Possible relations between air temperature and increased impact of seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) in general practice have not been investigated yet. We explored trends in timing of frequent seasonal allergic rhinitis presentation to general practitioners (GPs) over 25 years and explored associations with air temperature. We performed a retrospective exploratory longitudinal study with data from our Family Medicine Network (1995-2019), including all SAR patients and their GP-encounters per week. We determined patients' GP-consultation frequency. Every year we identified seasonal periods with substantial increase in SAR related encounters: peak-periods. We determined start date and duration of the peak-period and assessed associations with air temperature in the beginning and throughout the year, respectively. The peak-period duration increased by a mean of 1.3 days (95% CI 0.23-2.45, P = 0.02) per year throughout the study period. Air temperature between February and July showed a statistically significant association with peak-period duration. We could not observe direct effects of warmer years on the start of peak-periods within distinct years (P = 0.06). SAR patients' contact frequency slightly increased by 0.01 contacts per year (95% CI 0.002-0.017, P = 0.015). These longitudinal findings may help to facilitate further research on the impact of climate change, and raise awareness of the tangible impact of climate change in general practice.
由于气候变化,荷兰的气温逐渐升高。更高的温度导致更长的花粉季节。在一般实践中,气温与季节性变应性鼻炎(SAR)影响增加之间可能存在的关系尚未得到调查。我们探讨了25年来全科医生(gp)季节性变应性鼻炎频繁出现的时间趋势,并探讨了与气温的关系。我们对家庭医学网络(1995-2019)的数据进行了回顾性探索性纵向研究,包括所有SAR患者及其每周gp就诊情况。我们确定患者的gp咨询频率。每年,我们都确定了与SAR相关的遭遇大幅增加的季节性时期:高峰时期。我们确定了高峰期的开始日期和持续时间,并分别评估了年初和全年气温的关系。在整个研究期间,高峰期持续时间平均每年增加1.3天(95% CI 0.23-2.45, P = 0.02)。2月至7月的气温与高峰持续时间有统计学上的显著关联。在不同年份,我们没有观察到温暖年份对高峰期开始的直接影响(P = 0.06)。SAR患者的接触次数每年略有增加0.01次(95% CI 0.002 ~ 0.017, P = 0.015)。这些纵向研究结果可能有助于促进对气候变化影响的进一步研究,并提高人们对气候变化在一般实践中的实际影响的认识。
期刊介绍:
npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine is an open access, online-only, multidisciplinary journal dedicated to publishing high-quality research in all areas of the primary care management of respiratory and respiratory-related allergic diseases. Papers published by the journal represent important advances of significance to specialists within the fields of primary care and respiratory medicine. We are particularly interested in receiving papers in relation to the following aspects of respiratory medicine, respiratory-related allergic diseases and tobacco control:
epidemiology
prevention
clinical care
service delivery and organisation of healthcare (including implementation science)
global health.