Abstract

Background: Epidemic thunderstorm asthma is an observed increase in cases of acute bronchospasm following thunderstorms. This study aimed to compare the frequency of obstructive airway disease or bronchial hyperresponsiveness in subjects with thunderstorm-associated respiratory symptoms with subjects with similar symptoms presented at other times.

Methods: A cross-sectional study from June to November of 2013 was conducted on subjects with thunderstorm-associated respiratory symptoms living in Ahvaz City, Iran. Thunderstorm-associated subjects were presented with asthmatic symptoms in thunderstorms, and other patients presented with similar symptoms at other times. Baseline spirometry was performed on patients to examine the presence of obstructive airway disease. In all patients with normal spirometry, a provocation test was applied. A comparison of qualitative and quantitative variables was made using the Chi-square and independent t test, respectively. All analyses were carried out using SPSS Statistics Version 22. A P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: Out of 584 subjects, 300 and 284 participants were in thunderstorm-associated and non-thunderstorm-associated groups, respectively. After the final analysis, 87 (30.6%) and 89 (33.3%) of the thunderstorm-associated subjects and non-thunderstorm-associated group, respectively, had pieces of evidence of airflow limitation (P=0.27). Among the patients with normal spirometry, 161 (81.72%) of the thunderstorm-associated patients and 100 (56.17%) patients of the non-thunderstorm-associated symptoms group had a positive methacholine challenge test result (P<0.001).

Conclusion: Most of the patients with thunderstorm-associated respiratory symptoms had no obvious evidence of airflow limitation in spirometry.

Details

Title
Pulmonary Function Tests in Thunderstorm-associated Respiratory Symptoms: A Cross-sectional Study
Author
Shoushtari, Maryam Haddadzadeh  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Afrakhteh, Sakineh  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Seyed Hamid Borsi  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Hanieh Raji  VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Idani, Esmaeil  VIAFID ORCID Logo 
Pages
40-45
Section
Original Article(s)
Publication year
2024
Publication date
2024
Publisher
Shiraz University of Medical Sciences
ISSN
02530716
e-ISSN
17353688
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2916022403
Copyright
© 2024. Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the associated terms available at .