Extreme Heat, Rain Increase Asthma Exacerbations

Extreme heat and precipitation, especially during the summer, causes an increase in hospitalizations for asthma exacerbation, according to new research from Maryland.

Previous research has found that extreme weather influences asthma exacerbations, but little is known about how increasingly extreme weather will impact the risk of hospitalization for patients with asthma.
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To conduct their study, the researchers collected data from 115,923 individuals who were hospitalized in Maryland with an asthma exacerbation from 2000 to 2012.

After analyzing the data, the researchers found that extreme heat events increased the risk of same-day asthma hospitalizations by 3%, and a higher risk was seen during the summer months. Extreme precipitation events during the summer months increased the hospitalization risk by 11%.

In addition, youth and adults were most likely to be hospitalized during a heat event and those aged 4 years and older were most likely to be hospitalized during a precipitation event.

“Exposure to extreme heat and extreme precipitation events, particularly during summertime, is associated with increased risk of hospitalization for asthma in Maryland,” the researchers concluded. “Our results suggest that projected increases in frequency of extreme heat and precipitation event[s] will have significant impact on public health.”

—Amanda Balbi

Reference:
Soneja S, Jiang C, Fisher J, Upperman CR, Mitchell C, Sapkota A. Exposure to extreme heat and precipitation events associated with increased risk of hospitalization for asthma in Maryland, U.S.A. [published online April 27, 2016]. Environ Health. doi:10.1186/s12940-016-0142-z.