Examining seasonal variation in epistaxis in a maritime climate

• Main Authors: Ben McMullin, Paul Atkinson, Natasha Larivée, Christopher J. Chin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2019-12-01
• Series: Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
• Subjects: Epistaxis; Season; Maritime; Climate; Humidity; Temperature
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40463-019-0395-y

Abstract Background Epistaxis is a common reason patients present to the emergency department. There is significant variation in climate across Canada. Our study aimed to determine if epistaxis is related to season, temperature and humidity in a Maritime climate. Methods Ethics approval was obtained. A retrospective chart review was performed. Patients who presented to the Saint John Regional Hospital Emergency Room between July 2015 and December 2017 with a diagnosis of epistaxis were identified. Weather data was collected from Environment Canada. We performed multiple univariate analyses examining confounding variables. Results In total, 476 cases of epistaxis were identified. There was a significant seasonal variation; the highest number of epistaxis cases occurred in the winter (p < 0.001). A negative correlation was seen between mean daily humidity and epistaxis (R 2 = 0.7794). Conclusion The highest number of cases presented in the winter and a negative correlation was found between epistaxis and mean daily humidity.