Peter Franzke1,2, Andreas Bitsch3, Mario Walther4,5, Rene Schiffner6, Sven Rupprecht6, Marius Rasche6, Gerd Fabian Volk7, Otto W Witte6, Peter Schlattmann4, Orlando Guntinas-Lichius7, Georg Hagemann8, Matthias Schwab6, Florian Rakers6,9. 1. Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena, Germanypeterfranzke@gmx.net. 2. Department of Neurology, Neuruppin, Germanypeterfranzke@gmx.net. 3. Department of Neurology, Neuruppin, Germany. 4. Institute of Medical Statistics, Computer Sciences and Documentation, Jena, Germany. 5. Department of Fundamental Sciences, Ernst-Abbe-University of Applied Sciences, Jena, Germany. 6. Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena, Germany. 7. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany. 8. HELIOS Hospital Berlin-Buch, Department of Neurology, Berlin, Germany. 9. Department of Psychiatry, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, Neuruppin, Germany.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: To evaluate if weather or changes in weather are risk factors for Bell's palsy (BP) as exposure to draught of cold air has been popularly associated with the occurrence of BP. METHODS: Using a multicenter hospital-based case-crossover study, we analyzed the association between ambient temperature, atmospheric pressure, relative air humidity or their 24 h changes and the risk for BP in 825 patients or subgroups. RESULTS: One day following a 24 h increase in atmospheric pressure of more than 6 hPa, the risk for BP increased by 35% (OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.03-1.78) in the overall population. The risk for BP more than doubled in patients with diabetes mellitus after rapid variations in ambient temperature, independent of the direction (temperature decrease > 2.25°C; OR 2.15; 95% CI 1.08-4.25; temperature increase between 0.75 and 2.25°C; OR 2.88; 95% CI 1.63-5.10). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the hypothesis of an association between certain weather conditions and the risk for BP with acute changes in atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature as the main risk factors. Additionally, contrasting results for risk of BP after temperature changes in the diabetic and non-diabetic subgroups support the paradigm of a diabetic facial palsy as a distinct disease entity.
BACKGROUND: To evaluate if weather or changes in weather are risk factors for Bell's palsy (BP) as exposure to draught of cold air has been popularly associated with the occurrence of BP. METHODS: Using a multicenter hospital-based case-crossover study, we analyzed the association between ambient temperature, atmospheric pressure, relative air humidity or their 24 h changes and the risk for BP in 825 patients or subgroups. RESULTS: One day following a 24 h increase in atmospheric pressure of more than 6 hPa, the risk for BP increased by 35% (OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.03-1.78) in the overall population. The risk for BP more than doubled in patients with diabetes mellitus after rapid variations in ambient temperature, independent of the direction (temperature decrease > 2.25°C; OR 2.15; 95% CI 1.08-4.25; temperature increase between 0.75 and 2.25°C; OR 2.88; 95% CI 1.63-5.10). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the hypothesis of an association between certain weather conditions and the risk for BP with acute changes in atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature as the main risk factors. Additionally, contrasting results for risk of BP after temperature changes in the diabetic and non-diabetic subgroups support the paradigm of a diabetic facial palsy as a distinct disease entity.
Authors: Josef Georg Heckmann; Peter Paul Urban; Susanne Pitz; Orlando Guntinas-Lichius; Ildikό Gágyor Journal: Dtsch Arztebl Int Date: 2019-10-11 Impact factor: 5.594
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Authors: Frederic Bauer; Janine Lindtke; Felix Seibert; Benjamin Rohn; Adrian Doevelaar; Nina Babel; Peter Schlattmann; Sebastian Bertram; Panagiota Zgoura; Timm H Westhoff Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2022-04-05 Impact factor: 4.379