Duong Vicky, Maher Chris G, Steffens Daniel, Li Qiang, Hancock Mark J
Department of Health Professions, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Musculoskeletal Division, The George Institute for Global Health, The University of Sydney, PO Box M201, Missenden Rd, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia.
Rheumatol Int. 2016 May;36(5):679-84. doi: 10.1007/s00296-015-3419-6. Epub 2016 Jan 12.
The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of various weather parameters on pain intensity levels in patients with acute low back pain (LBP). We performed a secondary analysis using data from the PACE trial that evaluated paracetamol (acetaminophen) in the treatment of acute LBP. Data on 1604 patients with LBP were included in the analysis. Weather parameters (precipitation, temperature, relative humidity, and air pressure) were obtained from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Pain intensity was assessed daily on a 0-10 numerical pain rating scale over a 2-week period. A generalised estimating equation analysis was used to examine the relationship between daily pain intensity levels and weather in three different time epochs (current day, previous day, and change between previous and current days). A second model was adjusted for important back pain prognostic factors. The analysis did not show any association between weather and pain intensity levels in patients with acute LBP in each of the time epochs. There was no change in strength of association after the model was adjusted for prognostic factors. Contrary to common belief, the results demonstrated that the weather parameters of precipitation, temperature, relative humidity, and air pressure did not influence the intensity of pain reported by patients during an episode of acute LBP.
本研究的目的是调查各种天气参数对急性下腰痛（LBP）患者疼痛强度水平的影响。我们使用来自PACE试验的数据进行了二次分析，该试验评估了对乙酰氨基酚（扑热息痛）治疗急性LBP的效果。分析纳入了1604例LBP患者的数据。天气参数（降水量、温度、相对湿度和气压）取自澳大利亚气象局。在为期2周的时间里，每天使用0至10的数字疼痛评分量表评估疼痛强度。采用广义估计方程分析来检验在三个不同时间段（当天、前一天以及前一天与当天之间的变化）每日疼痛强度水平与天气之间的关系。第二个模型针对重要的背痛预后因素进行了调整。分析未显示在任何时间段内天气与急性LBP患者的疼痛强度水平之间存在关联。在针对预后因素调整模型后，关联强度没有变化。与普遍看法相反，结果表明，降水量、温度、相对湿度和气压等天气参数并未影响急性LBP发作期间患者报告的疼痛强度。
