For some asthma patients, the answer is “True.” Scientists in Atlanta report a surprising asthma trigger -- thunderstorms. They found that thunderstorms are associated with a 3% increase in emergency room visits for asthma.
The most likely explanations for the association are that pollen grains rupture in rainwater, releasing allergens, and that winds from thunderstorm downdrafts spread allergens, which may lead to an increased risk of asthma attacks.
The researchers used an emergency department (ED) visit database containing information on more than 10 million ED visits from 41 of 42 hospitals in Atlanta between 1993 and 2004. They looked at people who visited the ED for asthma and compared the zip codes in which they lived with rain and wind data for those areas. Of 215,832 asthma visits, 24,350 occurred on days following thunderstorms. Visits to the ED for asthma were highest when wind gusts were intermediate and high.
While a 3% increase in risk may seem modest, the researchers note, asthma is quite prevalent in Atlanta, and even a modest increase could have a significant public health impact. If you have asthma, pay attention to your breathing symptoms the next time there's a thunderstorm.
If you find that they trigger your asthma, you may want to stay inside during and after thunderstorms whenever possible.
Reported in THORAX (Volume 63, page 659).
