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Lymphedema as a Meteoropathic Disease: A Preliminary Single-center Retrospective Study
Motomu Suzuki1, Kokichi Hashimoto2,3, Taro Mikami2,4
1Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan.
Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
|November 5, 2025
Summary
Cellulitis in lymphedema patients is linked to weather changes. Higher temperatures and lower atmospheric pressure correlate with increased cellulitis occurrences, suggesting lymphedema may be a weather-sensitive condition.
Area of Science:
- Medical Science
- Environmental Health
- Circulatory System Research
Background:
- Cellulitis significantly impacts lymphedema prognosis, necessitating effective prevention and prediction strategies.
- The lymphatic system's connection to the circulatory system and known climate influences on vascular events suggest a potential link between weather and lymphedema complications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between specific climatic conditions and the onset of cellulitis in limbs affected by lymphedema.
- To explore the hypothesis that lymphedema could be classified as a meteoropathy, a condition influenced by weather.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of clinical records for 40 lymphedema patients admitted for cellulitis between 2007 and 2017.
- Analysis of seasonal admission frequencies against meteorological data (temperature, atmospheric pressure) from the Japan Meteorological Agency for patients in Yokohama City.
Main Results:
- A higher incidence of cellulitis admissions was observed during summer months.
- Increased cellulitis occurrences were significantly associated with higher ambient temperatures and lower atmospheric pressure around the time of admission.
Conclusions:
- Lymphedema exhibits characteristics of a meteoropathic disease.
- Climatic factors, specifically temperature and atmospheric pressure, are demonstrably associated with cellulitis in lymphedema-affected limbs.
