Association of Meteorological Factors with Pediatric Intussusception in Subtropical China: A 5-Year Analysis

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to determine whether climate factors correlate with variations in the rate of pediatric intussusception cases presenting to the Children's Hospital in Suzhou, China. MATERIAL AND METHODS The hospital records of 5,994 pediatric cases of intussusception who had presented between Aug 2006 and Dec 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic data and air enema reduction data were collected for each case. RESULTS The monthly rate of new intussusception cases fluctuated throughout the year generally rising from April to September with a peak from May to July. This annual cycling of intussusception incidence was highly significant over the 5 year observation period. Poisson regression analysis showed that the monthly number of intussusception cases was associated with an increase in mean temperature per month (P = 0.0001), sum of sunshine per month (P<0.0001), precipitation per month (P<0.0001), and was marginally associated with increased mean wind speed per month (P = 0.0709). CONCLUSION The incidence of intussusception in Suzhou was seasonally variable with a peak in cases presenting during hotter, sunnier, and wetter months demonstrating a positive association with certain climatic factors.