Temperature variation in the 24 hours before the initial symptoms of stroke

Abstract

A few studies have performed to evaluate the temperature variation influences over on the stroke rates in Brazil. METHOD: 176 medical records of inpatients were analyzed after having had a stroke between 2004 and 2006 at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein. The temperature preceding the occurrence of the symptoms was recorded, as well as the temperature 6, 12 and 24 hours before the symptoms in 6 different weather substations, closest to their houses in São Paulo. RESULTS: Strokes occurred more frequently after a variation of 3ºC between 6 and 24 hours before the symptoms. There were most hospitalizations between 23-24ºC. CONCLUSION: Incidence of stroke on these patients was increased after a variation of 3º Celsius within 24 hours before the ictus. The temperature variations could be an important factor in the occurrence of strokes in this population.