Weather Variability and COPD: A Risk Estimation Identified a Vulnerable Sub-population in Hungary

摘要: Background/Aim Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major public health concern, affecting over 200 million people worldwide in 2019. The prevalence of COPD has risen by 40% from 1990 to 2010 and continued to increase by 13% from 2010 to 2019, causing over 3 million deaths globally in 2019, ranking it as the third leading cause of death. This study explored how daily weather changes relate to the number of COPD-related emergency department (ED) visits. Materials and Methods We collected data on daily COPD-related ED visits in 2017 in Pécs along with corresponding meteorological data to analyze this connection. Results High diurnal temperature range (DTR) and day-to-day variability in dew point were linked to a 4.5% increased risk of more COPD-related ED visits. Notably, DTR had a stronger impact on males, contributing to a 6.3% increase, while dew point variability significantly …