Carmen Valero1, Raquel Barba2, José A Riancho3, Ana Santurtún2. 1. Departamento de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, IDIVAL, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, España. Electronic address: mirvdc@humv.es. 2. Unidad de Medicina Legal, Facultad de Medicina, IDIVAL, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, España. 3. Departamento de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, IDIVAL, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, España.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Evaluating whether meteorological and geographical variables could be associated with the severity of COVID-19 in Spain. METHODS: An ecological study was performed to analyze the influence of meteorological and geographical factors in hospital admissions and deaths due to COVID-19 in the 52 provinces of Spain (24 coastal and 28 inland regions), during the first three pandemic waves. Medical and mortality data were collected from the CarlosIII Health Institute (ISCIII) and meteorological variables were requested to the Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET). RESULTS: Regarding the diagnosed cases it is remarkable that the percentage of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 was lower in the coastal provinces than in the inland ones (8.7±2.6% vs. 11.5±2.6%; P=9.9×10-5). Furthermore, coastal regions registered a lower percentage of mortality than inland regions (2.0±0.6% vs. 3.1±0.8%; P=1.7×10-5). Mean air temperature was inversely correlated both with COVID-19 hospitalizations (Rho: -0.59; P=3.0×10-6) and mortality (Rho: -0.70; P=5.3×10-9). In those provinces with a mean air temperature <10°C mortality by COVID-19 was twice that of those with >16°C. Finally, we found an association between mortality and the location of the province (coastal/inland), altitude, patient age and the average air temperature; the latter was inversely and independently correlated with mortality (non-standardized β coeff.: -0.24; 95%CI: -0.31 to -0.16; P=2.38×10-8). CONCLUSIONS: The average air temperature was inversely associated with COVID-19 mortality in our country during the first three waves of the pandemic.
OBJECTIVES: Evaluating whether meteorological and geographical variables could be associated with the severity of COVID-19 in Spain. METHODS: An ecological study was performed to analyze the influence of meteorological and geographical factors in hospital admissions and deaths due to COVID-19 in the 52 provinces of Spain (24 coastal and 28 inland regions), during the first three pandemic waves. Medical and mortality data were collected from the CarlosIII Health Institute (ISCIII) and meteorological variables were requested to the Spanish State Meteorological Agency (AEMET). RESULTS: Regarding the diagnosed cases it is remarkable that the percentage of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 was lower in the coastal provinces than in the inland ones (8.7±2.6% vs. 11.5±2.6%; P=9.9×10-5). Furthermore, coastal regions registered a lower percentage of mortality than inland regions (2.0±0.6% vs. 3.1±0.8%; P=1.7×10-5). Mean air temperature was inversely correlated both with COVID-19 hospitalizations (Rho: -0.59; P=3.0×10-6) and mortality (Rho: -0.70; P=5.3×10-9). In those provinces with a mean air temperature <10°C mortality by COVID-19 was twice that of those with >16°C. Finally, we found an association between mortality and the location of the province (coastal/inland), altitude, patient age and the average air temperature; the latter was inversely and independently correlated with mortality (non-standardized β coeff.: -0.24; 95%CI: -0.31 to -0.16; P=2.38×10-8). CONCLUSIONS: The average air temperature was inversely associated with COVID-19 mortality in our country during the first three waves of the pandemic.
Authors: Erik von Elm; Douglas G Altman; Matthias Egger; Stuart J Pocock; Peter C Gøtzsche; Jan P Vandenbroucke Journal: Lancet Date: 2007-10-20 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: Nazrul Islam; Vladimir M Shkolnikov; Rolando J Acosta; Ilya Klimkin; Ichiro Kawachi; Rafael A Irizarry; Gianfranco Alicandro; Kamlesh Khunti; Tom Yates; Dmitri A Jdanov; Martin White; Sarah Lewington; Ben Lacey Journal: BMJ Date: 2021-05-19
Authors: Jennifer Biryukov; Jeremy A Boydston; Rebecca A Dunning; John J Yeager; Stewart Wood; Amy L Reese; Allison Ferris; David Miller; Wade Weaver; Nathalie E Zeitouni; Aaron Phillips; Denise Freeburger; Idris Hooper; Shanna Ratnesar-Shumate; Jason Yolitz; Melissa Krause; Gregory Williams; David G Dawson; Artemas Herzog; Paul Dabisch; Victoria Wahl; Michael C Hevey; Louis A Altamura Journal: mSphere Date: 2020-07-01 Impact factor: 4.389
Authors: Yu Wu; Wenzhan Jing; Jue Liu; Qiuyue Ma; Jie Yuan; Yaping Wang; Min Du; Min Liu Journal: Sci Total Environ Date: 2020-04-28 Impact factor: 7.963
Authors: Giancarlo Isaia; Henri Diémoz; Francesco Maluta; Ilias Fountoulakis; Daniela Ceccon; Alcide di Sarra; Stefania Facta; Francesca Fedele; Giuseppe Lorenzetto; Anna Maria Siani; Gianluca Isaia Journal: Sci Total Environ Date: 2020-11-20 Impact factor: 7.963