A possible association between space weather conditions and the risk of acute coronary syndrome in patients with diabetes and the metabolic syndrome

Abstract

Hyperglycemia negatively affects cardiovascular variables that are also adversely affected by increased geomagnetic activity. It is likely that geomagnetic storms (GS) could have a stronger negative impact on these patients. We analyzed data on 1548 randomly selected patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who were admitted inpatient treatment in Kaunas city, during 2000-2003. We evaluated the associations of GS, solar proton events (SPE), and high-speed solar wind (HSSW) (solar wind speed ≥600 km/s) with the risk of ACS in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and the metabolic syndrome (MS) by using logistic regression with categorical predictors. During days of HSSW, the risk of ACS in DM patients increased by 1.95 times (OR = 1.95, 95 % CI 1.36-2.79) as compared to days without either of these events or 2 days prior to or after them. In the multivariate model, the risk of ACS in DM patients was associated with days of HSSW and 1-2 days after (OR = 1.40, 95 % CI 1.01-1.93), with days of GS lasting >1 day and occurring on days of HSSW or 1-2 days after (OR = 2.31, 95 % CI 1.28-4.17), and with the onset of SPE (OR = 2.72 (1.09-6.83)). The risk of ACS in MS patients was associated with days of GS and 1-2 days prior or after GS (OR = 1.31 (1.00-1.73)); an additional impact was established if these days coincided with days of HSSW or 1-2 days before (OR = 2.16 (1.39-3.35)). These findings suggest that not only GS but also HSSW and changes in space weather conditions prior to SPE affect the human cardiovascular system.

Correlation between ST-elevation myocardial infarction, non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction and the local Earth’s magnetic field changes

“…It is hypothesized that environmental factors such as the local Earth's magnetic field activity may also be significant in the development of CVD [11,12]. Disruption of the local Earth's magnetic field causes severe adaptive stress at all levels of body regulation [7,9,10]. In a healthy population, disturbances in the local Earth's magnetic field has been shown to reduce heart rate variability and blood flow, as well as to increase platelet aggregation and coagulation [7,9,10].…”

Cardiovascular System Interactions With The Local Earth Magnetic Field Fluctuations: A Cohort Study

“…Interestingly, geomagnetic eld (GMF) impact on the tone of the vascular wall has been repeatedly proved, [2][3][4][5][6][7][8] highlighting that GMF changes independently to other geomagnetic climate factors strongly modulate blood pressure (BP) changes [2]. Even more, it was noticed that geomagnetic storms (GMS) created by solar ares [2] misbalancing adaptive mechanisms and causing severe adaptive stress responses most heavily impact cardiovascular system regulation mechanisms [9,10] manifesting as decrease of the heart rate variability (HRV) and blood ow, and increase in platelet aggregation activity, coagulation, and blood viscosity even in healthy people [9]. Nevertheless, it has been shown in many studies that physiological changes occur with a delay after the change in magnetic or solar activity [9,[11][12][13][14].…”

“…Even more, it was noticed that geomagnetic storms (GMS) created by solar ares [2] misbalancing adaptive mechanisms and causing severe adaptive stress responses most heavily impact cardiovascular system regulation mechanisms [9,10] manifesting as decrease of the heart rate variability (HRV) and blood ow, and increase in platelet aggregation activity, coagulation, and blood viscosity even in healthy people [9]. Nevertheless, it has been shown in many studies that physiological changes occur with a delay after the change in magnetic or solar activity [9,[11][12][13][14]. The phenomenon is called 'delay phase' and take from hours up to 2-3 days following GMF alterations [9,[11][12][13][14].…”

“…Nevertheless, it has been shown in many studies that physiological changes occur with a delay after the change in magnetic or solar activity [9,[11][12][13][14]. The phenomenon is called 'delay phase' and take from hours up to 2-3 days following GMF alterations [9,[11][12][13][14]. Additionally, it was noticed that a diseased system lost its adaptative to uctuation in the GMF mechanisms [15].…”

“…It was stated, that that Schnumman resonances start at 7.83 Hz and there are 8 of all of them which overlap with EEG rhythms. Field-line resonance oscillations (0.1 Hz) corresponds to heart rhythm activity, and oscillations of the autonomic nervous system [9,[16][17][18]. Andey et al [19][20][21] have observed the relation between GMF intensity changes and neurohumoral regulation in early 1990 and highlighted the autonomic nervous system ability to modulate the baroreceptor activity and regulate intracellular processes resulting in BP regulatory re ex in both normal and cardiovascular diseases [19][20][21].…”