Relative Humidity Affects Acute Otitis Media Visits of Preschool Children to the Emergency Department

Abstract

Objective: The associations between climate variables and diseases such as respiratory infections, influenza, pediatric seizure, and gastroenteritis have been long appreciated. Infection is the main reason for acute otitis media (AOM) incidence. However, few previous studies explored the correlation between climatic parameters and AOM infections. The most important meteorological factors, temperature, relative humidity, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), were included in this study. We studied the relationship between these meteorological factors and the AOM visits. Materials and Methods: It was a retrospective cross-sectional study. A linear correlation and a linear regression model were used to explore the AOM visits and meteorological factors. Results: A total of 7075 emergency department visits for AOM were identified. Relative humidity was found an independent risk factor for the AOM visits in preschool children (regression coefficient = −10.841<0, P = .039 < .05), but not in infants and school-age children. Average temperature and PM2.5 were not correlated with AOM visits. Conclusion: Humidity may have a significant inverse impact on the incidence of AOM in preschool-age children.