Table 3

Emergency department admissions for asthma due to the added effect of heat waves and cold spells in Brisbane, Australia, 2003–2009

Heat wavesCold spells
Number of consecutive daysPercentile*Days†Asthma‡95% CIPercentile*Days†Asthma‡95% CI
≥2≥95th131−1,3≤5th19−1−2,1
≥96th71−2,3≤4th110−2,2
≥3≥95th271,13≤5th4−1−5,2
≥96th181,15≤4th2−3−7,1
≥4≥95th0––≤5th1−5−14,3
≥96th0––≤4th1−5−14,3

  • *The threshold cut-off which we used to define heat waves and cold spells.

  • †The number of heat wave and cold spell days.

  • ‡The daily number of emergency department admissions for childhood asthma due to heat waves or cold spells.