The association between lunar phase and intracranial aneurysm rupture: Myth or reality? Own data and systematic review

Abstract

BackgroundIt is a common belief in medical community that lunar phases have an impact on human health. A growing body of evidence indicates that lunar phases can predict the risk to develop acute neurological and vascular disorders. The goal of present report was to present our institution data and to perform systematic review of studies examining the association of intracranial aneurysm rupture with moon phases.MethodsWe identified all patients admitted to our department for ruptured intracranial aneurysms in a period between November, 2011 and December, 2014. Patients with a known aneurysm rupture date were included. Lunar phases were determined by dividing lunar month (29.5 days) into eight equal parts, i.e., new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter and waning crescent. A systematic literature review was undertaken to identify studies that evaluated the association of lunar phases with the incident of intracranial aneurysm rupture.ResultOne hundred and eighty-six patients (62 men and 124 women, median age 56 years) were admitted to our department for treatment of ruptured intracranial aneurysms. The rate of intracranial aneurysm rupture was equally distributed across all phases of the lunar cycle (X 2 [7; 185] = 12.280, p = 0.092). We identified three studies that evaluated the association between incident intracranial aneurysm rupture and lunar phases with a total of 1483 patients. One study from Lebanon found that the incidence rate of intracranial aneurysm rupture was statistically significantly greater during the new moon phase (25% cases), relative to the other seven lunar phases (p < 0.001). Two subsequent studies from Austria and Germany in larger patient samples (n = 717 and n = 655, respectively) did not find an association between lunar phases and intracranial aneurysm rupture (p-values of 0.84 and 0.97, respectively). When analyzing all four studies together, we did not find an association between lunar phases and incidence of intracranial aneurysm rupture (X 2 [1668; 7] = 2.080, p = 0.955).ConclusionsMoon phases are not associated with incidence of intracranial aneurysm rupture. Studies investigating the association of intracranial aneurysm rupture with lunar illumination defined using more sensitive approaches are encouraged.

Impact of lunar phase

“…Bunevicius et al . have found no relationship between intracranial aneurysm rupture across all lunar phases . Outside of cardiovascular pathologies, Eisenbach et al .…”

External Factors that Direct the Biological Clock and Role in Treatment of Disease

“…Bunevicius and Karla looked at the effect of the lunar cycle on human health, and there is growing evidence that there is a common belief in the medical community that the phases of the moon may predict the risk of the development of acute neurological and vascular disorders [30,31]. This is important in terms of the early diagnosis of diseases.…”

A rare case of genetically linked primary distal renal tubular acidosis and Southeast Asian ovalocytosis

“…SAO is a hereditary haematological condition common in Southeast Asia and Melanesia with a prevalence as high as 30% in some areas. [1][2][3] It presents as macrocytosis with stomatocytes on blood film and may confer some protection against Plasmodium falciparum, but is otherwise clinically benign. 2 Genetically, SAO is an autosomal dominant variant of the SLC4A1/AE1 gene on chromosome 17: a p. Ala400_Ala408 deletion variant (a deletion of codons 400-408 known as B3SAO).…”

“…4 It is characterised by the inability of α-intercalated cells of the collecting duct to secrete H + ions into urine and an associated metabolic acidosis caused by a non-functional chloride-bicarbonate anion exchanger in α-intercalated cells. [2][3][4] Familial dRTA may result from a simple autosomal recessive variant on the SLC4A1/AE1 gene of chromosome 17 in which a p.G701D loss-of function mutation occurs. 1 This may either occur in homozygosity, or due to compound heterozygosity with SAO gene mutations.…”

“…1,2,6 As in this patient, it appears that it is when a SAO mutation occurs alongside another Band 3 mutation on the opposite allele (such as the G701D mutation here) complete dRTA can also occur. 2,3 dRTA often presents with nephrocalcinosis and nephrolithiasis. 4 General correspondence…”