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Meta-Analysis
. 2015 Jul 31;12(8):9068-88.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph120809068.

Short-Term Effect of Ambient Temperature and the Risk of Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Hui Lian  1 , Yanping Ruan  2 , Ruijuan Liang  3 , Xiaole Liu  4 , Zhongjie Fan  5
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Short-Term Effect of Ambient Temperature and the Risk of Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Hui Lian et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Background and purpose: The relationship between stroke and short-term temperature changes remains controversial. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the association between stroke and both high and low temperatures, and health assessment.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Wanfang Data up to 14 September 2014. Study selection, quality assessment, and author-contractions were steps before data extraction. We converted all estimates effects into relative risk (RR) per 1 °C increase/decrease in temperature from 75th to 99th or 25th to 1st percentiles, then conducted meta-analyses to combine the ultimate RRs, and assessed health impact among the population.

Results: 20 articles were included in the final analysis. The overall analysis showed a positive relationship between 1 °C change and the occurrence of major adverse cerebrovascular events (MACBE), 1.1% (95% confidence intervals (CI), 0.6 to 1.7) and 1.2% (95% CI, 0.8 to 1.6) increase for hot and cold effects separately. The same trends can be found in both effects of mortality and the cold effect for morbidity. Hot temperature acted as a protective factor of hemorrhage stroke (HS), -1.9% (95% CI, -2.8 to -0.9), however, it acted as a risk factor for ischemic stroke (IS), 1.2% (95% CI, 0.7 to 1.8).

Conclusion: Short-term changes of both low and high temperature had statistically significant impacts on MACBE.

Keywords: meta-analysis; short-term; stroke; temperature change.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow chart of information through the different phases of a systematic review.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forrest plots for total analyses: relationship between the temperature change and the onset of MACBE. A and B stand for hot and cold effect, respectively.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forrest plots for total analyses: relationship between the temperature change and the onset of MACBE. A and B stand for hot and cold effect, respectively.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Forrest plots for relationship between the temperature change and stroke morbidity. A and B stand for hot and cold effect, respectively.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Forrest plots for relationship between the temperature change and stroke mortality. A and B stand for hot and cold effect, respectively.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Forrest plots for relationship between the temperature change and HS. A and B stand for hot and cold effect, respectively.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Forrest plots for relationship between the temperature change and IS. A and B stand for hot and cold effect, respectively.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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