Environmental factors, winter respiratory infections and the seasonal variation in heart failure admissions.

ABSTRACT: Seasonal cycles of AHF are causally attributed to the seasonal pattern of respiratory tract infections. However, this assumption has never been formally validated. We aimed to determine whether the increase in winter admissions for acute heart failure (AHF) can be explained by seasonal infectious diseases. We studied 12,147 patients admitted for AHF over a period of 11 years (2005-2015). Detailed virology and bacteriology data were collected on each patient. Meteorological information including daily temperature and relative humidity was obtained for the same period. The peak-to-low ratio, indicating the intensity of seasonality, was calculated using negative binomial regression-derived incidence rate ratios (IRR). AHF admissions occurred with a striking annual periodicity, peaking in wint

SUBMITTER: Aronson D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8163784 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature