Investigations into the Effect of Hot, Dry Microclimate on Peripheral Circulation, etc., in Arthritic Patients

Edström, Gunnar; Lundin, G.; Wramner, Thure

doi:10.1136/ard.7.2.76

Cited by 22 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Variation in mean rigidity was Although previous research into the association between arthritis and the weather has varied greatly in methodology and location, the findings of this study are in agreement with some previous findings. The main finding that mean pain and mean rigidity are significantly influenced by lower temperature and higher relative humidity is in accordance with the observations of Edstrom et al (1948) and Kellgren et al (1953).The finding from this study of mean rigidity exacerbated by increased relative humidity concurs with three previous studies (Rasker et al 1986;Hollander and Yeostros 1963;Harris 1984), while others have documented the reverse (Dequeker and Wuestenraed 1986;Guedj and Weinberger 1990). Patberg et al (1985) demonstrated a negative correlation between pain and actual vapour pressure as another measurement of humidity.…”

Section: Characteristics Of the Meteorological Datasupporting

confidence: 92%

The association between arthritis and the weather

Aikman

1997

International Journal of Biometeorology

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Despite the prevasiveness of the idea that arthritis is influenced by the weather, scientific evidence on the matter is sparse and non-conclusive. This study, conducted in the Australian inland city of Bendigo, sought to establish a possible relationship between the pain and rigidity of arthritis and the weather variables of temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, wind speed and precipitation. Pain and rigidity levels were scored by 25 participants with osteoarthritis and/or rheumatoid arthritis four times per day for 1 month from each season. Mean pain and rigidity scores for each time of each day were found to be correlated with the meteorological data. Correlations between mean symptoms and temperature and relative humidity were significant (P< 0.001). Time of day was included in the analysis. Stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that meteorological variables and time of day accounted for 38% of the variance in mean pain and 20% of the variance in mean rigidity when data of all months were considered. A post-study telephone questionnaire indicated 92% of participants perceived their symptoms to be influenced by the weather, while 48% claimed to be able to predict the weather according to their symptoms. Hence, the results suggest (1) decreased temperature is associated with both increased pain and increased rigidity and (2) increased relative humidity is associated with increased pain and rigidity in arthritis sufferers.

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Section: Characteristics Of the Meteorological Datasupporting

confidence: 92%

The association between arthritis and the weather

Aikman

1997

International Journal of Biometeorology

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“…Since SJC is an objective element and TJC is a subjective element of patients with RA, significant associations of air pressure with the two cannot be explained by subjective feelings of patients. Previous studies addressing correlations between meteorological effects and joint synovitis did not give consistent results [10], [13]–[19]. The limited number of subjects (not more than 88 patients with RA) is assumed to have caused this inconsistency.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Previous studies addressing correlations between RA synovitis and meteorological changes included less than 100 patients with RA and the results were not consistent [10], [13]–[18]. Previously, it was reported that a consistent microenvironment would ease joint symptoms in patients with RA [13]. While one study showed that temperature and humidity were associated with joint pain in 88 patients with RA [15], another study did not find statistically significant associations between meteorological changes and arthritic symptoms in 70 patients [16].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…While many rheumatologists have heard of this, there have been no large-scale association studies to date addressing the relationship between air pressure and joint synovitis in RA. Previous studies addressing correlations between RA synovitis and meteorological changes included less than 100 patients with RA and the results were not consistent [10], [13]–[18]. Previously, it was reported that a consistent microenvironment would ease joint symptoms in patients with RA [13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 90%

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Inverse Association between Air Pressure and Rheumatoid Arthritis Synovitis

et al. 2014

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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a bone destructive autoimmune disease. Many patients with RA recognize fluctuations of their joint synovitis according to changes of air pressure, but the correlations between them have never been addressed in large-scale association studies. To address this point we recruited large-scale assessments of RA activity in a Japanese population, and performed an association analysis. Here, a total of 23,064 assessments of RA activity from 2,131 patients were obtained from the KURAMA (Kyoto University Rheumatoid Arthritis Management Alliance) database. Detailed correlations between air pressure and joint swelling or tenderness were analyzed separately for each of the 326 patients with more than 20 assessments to regulate intra-patient correlations. Association studies were also performed for seven consecutive days to identify the strongest correlations. Standardized multiple linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate independent influences from other meteorological factors. As a result, components of composite measures for RA disease activity revealed suggestive negative associations with air pressure. The 326 patients displayed significant negative mean correlations between air pressure and swellings or the sum of swellings and tenderness (p = 0.00068 and 0.00011, respectively). Among the seven consecutive days, the most significant mean negative correlations were observed for air pressure three days before evaluations of RA synovitis (p = 1.7×10−7, 0.00027, and 8.3×10−8, for swellings, tenderness and the sum of them, respectively). Standardized multiple linear regression analysis revealed these associations were independent from humidity and temperature. Our findings suggest that air pressure is inversely associated with synovitis in patients with RA.

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“…To the current day, such beliefs are common among patients, physicians, and interested observers throughout the world (5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14). Furthermore, these beliefs have led to recommendations that patients move to milder climates or spend time in a climate-controlled chamber to lessen joint pain (15)(16)(17).…”

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confidence: 99%

On the belief that arthritis pain is related to the weather.

Redelmeier

Tversky

1996

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

109

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There is a widespread and strongly held belief that arthritis pain is influenced by the weather; however, scientific studies have found no consistent association.We hypothesize that this belief results, in part at least, from people's tendency to perceive patterns where none exist. We studied patients (n = 18) for more than 1 year and found no statistically significant associations between their arthritis pain and the weather conditions implicated by each individual. We also found that college students (n = 97) (18,19), and studies using subjective measures of pain have been conflicting. Some find that an increase in barometric pressure tends to increase pain (20), others find that it tends to decrease pain (21), and others find no association (22,23 We next presented college students (n = 97) with pairs of sequences displayed graphically. The top sequence was said to represent a patient's daily arthritis pain over 1 month, and the bottom sequence was said to represent daily barometric pressure during the same month (Fig. 1)

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Investigations into the Effect of Hot, Dry Microclimate on Peripheral Circulation, etc., in Arthritic Patients

Cited by 22 publications

References 4 publications

The association between arthritis and the weather

The association between arthritis and the weather

Inverse Association between Air Pressure and Rheumatoid Arthritis Synovitis

On the belief that arthritis pain is related to the weather.

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