They looked at data on more than 106,000 Americans with MS and estimated that stretches of unusually warm weather were associated with 592 more ER visits, 1,260 more inpatient visits and 1,960 more outpatient visits.
During those periods, MS patients were 4% more likely to visit the emergency room than during normal weather patterns, the study found. They also had 3% higher odds of having an in-person medical visit and were 1% more likely to have an outpatient visit.
“Many patients with MS, especially those who’ve had the disease for a long time, are prepared for extreme temperatures, but I think our study implies that not-so-extreme but warmer-than-average temperatures may also put patients at risk for worsening of their symptoms,” Elser said.
The findings will be presented April 17-22 at a virtual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. Research presented at meetings is typically considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Release of the findings on March 2 dovetailed with news of an Austrian man with a temperature-dependent form of MS who plans to take his government to court.
Lawyers said the aim is to force Austria to do more to combat climate change, according to the Associated Press. The case is expected to be filed next month.
MS is a disease of the central nervous system that affects the brain and spinal cord. It damages myelin, a material that surrounds and insulates the nerves, impeding messages between the brain and the body. Symptoms can range from minimal to severe.
The notion of heat having an impact on MS isn’t new.
