%0 Journal Article
%T Weather Variability and COPD: A Risk Estimation Identified a Vulnerable Sub-population in Hungary.
%A Márovics G
%A Pozsgai É
%A Németh B
%A Czigány S
%A Soós S
%A Németh-Simon S
%A Girán J
%J In Vivo
%V 38
%N 4
%D 2024 Jul-Aug
%M 38936910
%F 2.406
%R 10.21873/invivo.13619
%X <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major public health concern, affecting over 200 million people worldwide in 2019. The prevalence of COPD has risen by 40% from 1990 to 2010 and continued to increase by 13% from 2010 to 2019, causing over 3 million deaths globally in 2019, ranking it as the third leading cause of death. This study explored how daily weather changes relate to the number of COPD-related emergency department (ED) visits.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>We collected data on daily COPD-related ED visits in 2017 in Pécs along with corresponding meteorological data to analyze this connection.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>High diurnal temperature range (DTR) and day-to-day variability in dew point were linked to a 4.5% increased risk of more COPD-related ED visits. Notably, DTR had a stronger impact on males, contributing to a 6.3% increase, while dew point variability significantly affected males with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.083. (OR=1.083). Stratifying by age revealed heightened risks for those aged 30-39 (43.5% increase) and 50-59 (7.6% increase). Females aged 30-39 and 50-59 faced elevated risks of 42.7% and 9.1%, respectively, whereas males aged 60-69 showed a 9.8% increase.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Our findings highlight the influence of weather variations on COPD-related ED visits, with nuanced effects based on age and sex.