Respiratory disease and climatic seasonality in children under 15 years old in a town in the Brazilian Amazon

Abstract

ResumoObjetivo: Analisar a sazonalidade climática dos atendimentos ambulatoriais por doença respiratória (DR) em menores de 15 anos. Resultados: Indivíduos do sexo masculino tiveram taxa quase 50% maior (37,3/25,0) de atendimentos ambulatoriais por doenças das vias aéreas inferiores que os do sexo feminino. As taxas de atendimentos ambulatoriais por DR em menores de 15 anos apresentaram variação com o aumento da idade, passando de 457,7‰ nos menores de 1 ano de idade para 133,5‰ no grupo de 10 a 14 anos. Os atendimentos por DR foram em média 21% menos freqüentes(4.148/5.231) no período seco (p = 0,000). Observou-se picos de atendimento nos meses de março e agosto, mais acentuados em março, período chuvoso na região. Métodos Conclusão:Os atendimentos ambulatoriais por DR, especialmente por doenças das vias aéreas superiores, estão relacionados ao período chuvoso no município.J Pediatr (Rio J). 2008;84(6) AbstractObjective: To analyze the climatic seasonality of primary care visits for respiratory disease (RD) in children less than 15 years old.Methods: This was a descriptive, epidemiological study based on data from the municipal records of primary care events from basic healthcare centers for the period 2004-2005, for the municipality of Tangará da Serra (MT), Brazil. Population estimates were obtained from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística, IGBE), and data on temperature and relative humidity of the air, from the National Meteorology Institute (Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia, INMET). Mean rates of primary care visits for RD were calculated according to sex, age group and anatomic location of complaint. The ratio of dry season to rainy season visits was calculated according to anatomic location of the RD. Data were analyzed using Epi-Info 3.2, testing differences between proportions using the chi-square test to a significance level of 5%. Results:Male children had an almost 50% greater (37.3/25.0) rate of primary care visits for diseases of the lower respiratory tract than did females. The rates of primary care visits due to RD in children under 15 years of age varied as age increased, varying from 457.7‰ of children less than 1 year of age to 133.5‰ in the 10 to 14 years-of-age group. During the dry season there were an average of 21% (4,148/5,231) fewer visits for RD (p = 0.000). Peaks in numbers of visits were observed during the months of March and August, being more accentuated in March, which is the wet season in the region. Conclusion:Primary care visits for RD, especially those due to upper airway diseases, are related to the rainy season in this municipality.J Pediatr (Rio J). 2008;84(6):543-549: Respiratory diseases, climatic seasonality, upper airway diseases, lower respiratory tract diseases climate, season.

Hospitalizações por infecção respiratória associada a fatores ambientais

“…Isso é o dobro do encontrado em outra investigação (13) , que estudou crianças da mesma faixa etária no serviço de pronto atendimento de pediatria e encontrou prevalência de 25,6% (13) . Acredita-se que a temperatura afeta a pressão arterial e a viscosidade do sangue (14,15) . A pressão sanguínea aumenta com a temperatura mais baixa, embora a temperatura possa aumentar no período noturno (16) .…”

“…A pressão sanguínea aumenta com a temperatura mais baixa, embora a temperatura possa aumentar no período noturno (16) . A baixa temperatura também aumenta a viscosidade do sangue e da frequência cardíaca (14) e pode desencadear doenças do aparelho circulatório.…”

Children's Environment in Brazil: From Domestic (Indoor) to Regional Threats

“…In the SE region [102] the highest number of hospital admissions happened in the peak of the transition between Summer and Fall, in the N and CO regions the hospitalization of RD was seen both in the dry [109,115] and in the wet season [110,116,120].…”

“…As a country with a tropical climate, throughout the year the weather is mild and, on occasion, very hot, with marked periods of rain and drought. The reduction of the relative humidity of the air below 30% is considered dangerous to the integrity of the airways, especially for a susceptible population [110].…”

Climatic Effect on Rheumatoid Arthritis

“…Several studies investigated the effect of climatic changes on diseases and chronic pain conditions. [3][4][5] Since the time of Hippocrates it is believed that climatic conditions have some effects on chronic pain conditions. 6 Analysis of the relationship between climatic conditions and human health and interpreting the results with regard to healthcare might be useful.…”