Epidemic Thunderstorm Asthma

An epidemic of thunderstorm asthma in Melbourne 2016: asthma, rhinitis, and other previous allergies

Background On 21st November 2016, Melbourne experienced an epidemic of 'thunderstorm asthma.' Although previously described in the literature, risk factors and natural history remain incompletely understood. Objective Our aim was to follow up those presenting to the 3 Emergency Departments (EDs) in our health service during the epidemic, and assess their history for previous asthma, rhinitis,...

Stormy weather: a retrospective analysis of demand for emergency medical services during epidemic thunderstorm asthma

OBJECTIVES To describe the demand for emergency medical assistance during the largest outbreak of thunderstorm asthma reported globally, which occurred on 21 November 2016. DESIGN A time series analysis was conducted of emergency medical service caseload between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2016. Demand during the thunderstorm asthma event was compared to historical trends for the overall p...

Thunderstorm-related asthma: what happens and why.

The fifth report issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change forecasts that greenhouse gases will increase the global temperature as well as the frequency of extreme weather phenomena. An increasing body of evidence shows the occurrence of severe asthma epidemics during thunderstorms in the pollen season, in various geographical zones. The main hypotheses explaining association betw...

Thunderstorm asthma: potential danger but a unique opportunity

Thunderstorm outflows preceding epidemics of asthma during spring and summer.

BACKGROUND A study was undertaken to assess the importance of thunderstorms as a cause of epidemics of asthma exacerbations and to investigate the underlying mechanism. METHODS A case control study was performed in six towns in south eastern Australia. Epidemic case days (n = 48) and a random sample of control days (n = 191) were identified by reference to the difference between the observed ...