Relationship between climate and hemodynamics according to echocardiography

Studies performed in controlled laboratory conditions have shown that environmental thermal application may induce various circulatory changes. We aimed to demonstrate the effect of local climate on hemodynamics according to echocardiography. Echocardiographic studies conducted in ambulatory patients, 18 yr of age or older, between January 2012 and July 2016, at our medical center, for whom climate data on the day of the echocardiogram study were available, were retrospectively included in case climate data. Discomfort index, apparent temperature, temperature-humidity index, and thermal index were computed. Echocardiograms conducted in hotter months (June–November) were compared with those done in colder months (December–May). The cohort consisted of 11,348 individuals, 46.2% women, and mean age of 57.9 18.1 yr. Climate indexes correlated directly with stroke volume (r 0.039) and e= (lateral r 0.047; septal r 0.038), and inversely with systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP; r 0.038) (all P values 0.05). After adjustment for age and sex, echocardiograms conducted during June–November had a lower chance to show e= septal 7 cm/s (odds ratio 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.78 – 0.98, P 0.017) and SPAP 40 mmHg (odds ratio 0.81, 95% confidence interval 0.67– 0.99, P 0.04) compared with those conducted in other months. The authors concluded that climate may affect hemodynamics, according to echocardiographic assessment in ambulatory patients.