Seasonal variations in fibrinogen concentrations among elderly people

doi:10.1016/0140-6736(91)90004-9

The Lancet

Volume 338, Issue 8758, 6 July 1991, Pages 9-13

https://doi.org/10.1016/0140-6736(91)90004-9 Get rights and content

Abstract

Mortality and morbidity in elderly people are higher in winter than in summer months, with seasonal variations in rates of both fatal and non-fatal myocardial infarction and stroke. To identify factors that might contribute to the excess winter frequency of cardiovascular disease in the elderly, we studied 100 subjects aged 75 and over who lived in either their own homes or in sheltered or residential accommodation. Each person was visited each month for one year, body and environmental temperatures were noted, and cardiovascular risk factors were measured. 32 subjects withdrew from the study. Significant seasonal effects were found for fibrinogen, plasma viscosity, and HDL cholesterol (p<0·003, Bonferroni adjustment). Plasma fibrinogen concentrations showed the greatest seasonal change and were 23% higher in the coldest six months compared with summer months. Fibrinogen was significantly (p<0·05) and negatively related to core body temperature and all measures of environmental temperature. Those living in institutions had greater changes in plasma fibrinogen than those living in the community. The seasonal variation in plasma fibrinogen concentration is large enough to increase the risk of both myocardial infarction and stroke in winter.

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Seasonal variations in fibrinogen concentrations among elderly people

Abstract

Lancet

Lancet

Season and mortality

Health Trends

Deaths in winter: can Britain learn from Europe?

Eur J Epidemiol

An analysis of the seasonal variation of coronary heart disease and respiratory disease mortality in New Zealand

Int J Epidemiol

Low indoor temperatures and morbidity in the elderly

Age Ageing

Evaluation of a method for measuring urine temperature

J Physiol

Gerinnungsphysiologische Schnellmethode zur Bestimmung der Fibrinogene

Acta Haematol (Basel)

Estimation of the concentration of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in plasma, without use of the preparative ultracentrifuge

Clin Chem

Bonferroni procedure: an approach to making multiple comparisons. In: Biostatistics and epidemiology: a primer for health professionals

Analysis of serial measures in medical research

Br Med J

Relationships of temperature with death rates from all causes and from certain respiratory and arteriosclerotic disease in different age groups

Age Ageing

Seasonal and short-term relationships of temperature with deaths from myocardial and cerebral infarction

Age Ageing