南台灣疼痛強度與大氣壓力有關

Pain Intensity and Barometric Pressure Closely Correlate in Southern Taiwan

背景：先前的報告指出氣候可能影響疼痛的發生與類型，然而氣候與疼痛發生的直接相關性目前還未被證實，尤其在熱帶與亞熱帶地區相關資料是非常少的。方法：我們研究從2004年2月到2005年12月在台南地區的疼痛門診病患，並記錄疼痛強度［以視覺類比疼痛指數（VAS）測量］及氣候變化包括溫度、大氣壓力、濕度及風速的相關度。結果：我們的結果指出疼痛強度和年齡及大氣壓力有相關性，而和溫度、濕度及風速無相關性。結論：我們的結果顯示亞熱帶地區獨特的疼痛型態並可提供在天氣變化時疼痛服務的參考。

Background: Previous reports suggest that weather changes may affect the attack and pattern of pain. However, a direct relationship between weather and pain attack is yet to be determined, especially when very limited data are currently available in the tropical or subtropical regions. Methods: We studied the patients who visited our clinic for pain management in Tainan, a city in southern Taiwan, in the space from February 2004 to December 2005. Intensity of pain measured by visual analogue scale (VAS) and the weather conditions including temperature, barometric pressure, humidity and wind speed at the time of measurement, were recorded. Results: Our results indicate that higher scores of the VAS were associated with older age and lower barometric pressure, while the associations with temperature, humidity and wind speed were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate a unique pattern of pain, which varies with barometric pressure, in the subtropical region and may provide reference for better pain intervention during change of weather.