Meteorological and demographic factors associated with the onset of acute appendicitis in rural islands of Japan
Introduction: Emergency surgery and hospitalisation has become a burden in rural areas owing to a shortage of surgeons. Acute appendicitis is a common emergency disease. Understanding the aetiology of acute appendicitis could predict emergency surgeries to optimise resource allocation in rural areas...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Surgery in Practice and Science |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666262022000705 |
| _version_ | 1818016332418908160 |
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| author | Shima Asano |
| author_facet | Shima Asano |
| author_sort | Shima Asano |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Emergency surgery and hospitalisation has become a burden in rural areas owing to a shortage of surgeons. Acute appendicitis is a common emergency disease. Understanding the aetiology of acute appendicitis could predict emergency surgeries to optimise resource allocation in rural areas. Several studies have pointed out that some meteorological factors are associated with acute appendicitis; however, there is no consensus about these factors. With the geographical advantages, homogenous meteorological effects, and overwhelming medical data collection in the area, this study aimed to explore meteorological and demographic factors associated with acute appendicitis by focusing on the onset day of acute appendicitis. Methods: Miyako islands is in southern Japan and it has a subtropical climate. Okinawa Miyako prefectural Hospital (OMH) is the only hospital in the area that conducts emergency surgery. A total of 212 acute appendectomy cases collected over 6 years were analysed for sex, age, onset date, pathology type, perforation, and fecaliths. Meteorological factors (air pressure, air temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind speed, sunlight hours, and lunar age) on the onset day of acute appendicitis were analysed. Results: Significant differences between air temperature 6 and 7 days before onset and the onset day were observed. Higher air temperature, compared to the average value, was significant in acute appendicitis cases. Pathological types were associated with age group, perforation, and fecaliths. Age group was also associated with existing perforation. Discussion: Increase in temperature throughout the week prior to onset could be an anticipating factor for the onset of acute appendicitis. Conclusion: The meteorological and demographic features associated with the onset of acute appendicitis could become keys to evaluating acute appendicitis risk in the future and contribute to reasonable allocation of scarce surgical resources to rural areas. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T07:11:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d5f0c6ce02bb47b5ab8be6d55c9a4655 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-2620 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T07:11:53Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Surgery in Practice and Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-d5f0c6ce02bb47b5ab8be6d55c9a46552022-12-22T02:06:25ZengElsevierSurgery in Practice and Science2666-26202022-12-0111100128Meteorological and demographic factors associated with the onset of acute appendicitis in rural islands of JapanShima Asano0Corresponding author: Department of General Surgery, Okinawa Miyako prefectural Hospital, 427-1 Shimosato, Hirara, Miyakojima, Okinawa 9060013, Japan.; Department of General Surgery, Okinawa Miyako prefectural Hospital, Okinawa, JapanIntroduction: Emergency surgery and hospitalisation has become a burden in rural areas owing to a shortage of surgeons. Acute appendicitis is a common emergency disease. Understanding the aetiology of acute appendicitis could predict emergency surgeries to optimise resource allocation in rural areas. Several studies have pointed out that some meteorological factors are associated with acute appendicitis; however, there is no consensus about these factors. With the geographical advantages, homogenous meteorological effects, and overwhelming medical data collection in the area, this study aimed to explore meteorological and demographic factors associated with acute appendicitis by focusing on the onset day of acute appendicitis. Methods: Miyako islands is in southern Japan and it has a subtropical climate. Okinawa Miyako prefectural Hospital (OMH) is the only hospital in the area that conducts emergency surgery. A total of 212 acute appendectomy cases collected over 6 years were analysed for sex, age, onset date, pathology type, perforation, and fecaliths. Meteorological factors (air pressure, air temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind speed, sunlight hours, and lunar age) on the onset day of acute appendicitis were analysed. Results: Significant differences between air temperature 6 and 7 days before onset and the onset day were observed. Higher air temperature, compared to the average value, was significant in acute appendicitis cases. Pathological types were associated with age group, perforation, and fecaliths. Age group was also associated with existing perforation. Discussion: Increase in temperature throughout the week prior to onset could be an anticipating factor for the onset of acute appendicitis. Conclusion: The meteorological and demographic features associated with the onset of acute appendicitis could become keys to evaluating acute appendicitis risk in the future and contribute to reasonable allocation of scarce surgical resources to rural areas.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666262022000705AppendicitisSeasonal variationClimate factorsLunar cycleEmergency surgeryRural surgery |
| spellingShingle | Shima Asano Meteorological and demographic factors associated with the onset of acute appendicitis in rural islands of Japan Surgery in Practice and Science Appendicitis Seasonal variation Climate factors Lunar cycle Emergency surgery Rural surgery |
| title | Meteorological and demographic factors associated with the onset of acute appendicitis in rural islands of Japan |
| title_full | Meteorological and demographic factors associated with the onset of acute appendicitis in rural islands of Japan |
| title_fullStr | Meteorological and demographic factors associated with the onset of acute appendicitis in rural islands of Japan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Meteorological and demographic factors associated with the onset of acute appendicitis in rural islands of Japan |
| title_short | Meteorological and demographic factors associated with the onset of acute appendicitis in rural islands of Japan |
| title_sort | meteorological and demographic factors associated with the onset of acute appendicitis in rural islands of japan |
| topic | Appendicitis Seasonal variation Climate factors Lunar cycle Emergency surgery Rural surgery |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666262022000705 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT shimaasano meteorologicalanddemographicfactorsassociatedwiththeonsetofacuteappendicitisinruralislandsofjapan |