Warm Front Passage on the Previous Day Increased Ischemic Stroke Events

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Environmental Medicine
• Epidemiology

Background:

• The impact of weather front passages on stroke events is not well-established.
• Environmental factors may influence the occurrence of cerebrovascular events.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between weather front passages and the daily incidence of stroke.
• To determine if weather front passage on the day of onset or preceding days affects stroke risk.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter retrospective study analyzed 3935 acute stroke patients admitted between 2012 and 2013.
• Multivariate Poisson regression models assessed stroke event rates in relation to weather front passages (cold and warm fronts) over 7 days.
• Analyses adjusted for ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure.

Main Results:

• A total of 33 cold fronts and 13 warm fronts were recorded during the study period.
• A significant increase in ischemic stroke frequency was observed when a warm front passed the previous day (RR 1.34, 95% CI 1.07-1.69, P=.016).

Conclusions:

• Weather front passages, specifically warm fronts on the preceding day, may be associated with an increased risk of stroke.
• This finding highlights a potential environmental influence on stroke occurrence.