Three kinds of cosmophysical activity: links to temporal distribution of deaths and occurrence of acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to check for possible links between mortality statistics in a given month, generally from all causes and specifically from selected causes, and three kinds of cosmophysical activity: solar (SA), geomagnetic (GMA), and cosmic ray (CR). We also compared the results obtained for correlation by gender. MATERIAL/METHODS: 504,243 deaths were analyzed from the National Database of Lithuania (1990-2001); 102,604 OP deaths (1988-2000) were also included in this study and compared with data obtained from neutron monitoring data and other physical sources for the same time period. RESULTS: The total monthly number of deaths for 144 consecutive months was significantly and inversely correlated with SA and positively with CR activity, but not with GMA. The number of deaths from cancer, suicide, motor vehicle accidents, and acute myocardial infarction correlated with all three physical factors. SA and GMA show inverse effects as compared to CR. Ischemci heart disease deaths correlated only with GMA, cardiovascular accidents with SA and CR. Non-cardiovascular and suicide deaths were most strongly correlated to CR activity. CONCLUSIONS: The number of deaths is significantly related to physical activity in the space environment. These relationships show differences between kinds of deaths and significant correlation for the number of acute myocardial infarctions. Gender differences in links with physical activity in space were found in some of the compared groups.

Link between monthly rates of four subtypes of acute myocardial infarction and their corresponding cosmophysical activity parameters.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was (1) to examine the relation between the monthly rate of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and three cosmophysical activity parameters: solar activity (SA), geomagnetic activity (GMA), and cosmic rays activity (CRA) levels; (2) to study whether different subtypes of AMI: ST-elevation MI (STEMI), non-ST-elevation (NSTEMI), Q-wave (Q-waveMI) and non-Q-wave (NQ-wave MI) are linked with monthly cosmophysical indices or with the daily level (I degrees-IV degrees) of GMA. METHODS: For the first question, we studied for 204 consecutive months (1983-1999) 16,683 patients (including 10405 males) with AMI who were included in the Kaunas Registry and for the second, 3824 AMI patients (2342 males), 72-month data. Cosmophysical data were obtained from the Apatity Neutron Monitoring Station of the Russian Academy of Science. RESULTS: According to neutron monitoring data, total AMI and all its subtypes significantly correlated with monthly levels of CRA and inversely correlated with SA and GMA indices (r = 0.32-0.45; p = 0.0007-0.0001). No significant correlation was found between AMI subtypes and the daily level (I degrees-IV degrees) of GMA. All cosmophysical parameters were stronger in female patients. CONCLUSION: The monthly rates of all subtypes of AMI were significantly correlated with CRA and inversely correlated with SA and GMA, more strongly in female patients. We presume that the environmental factors studied here affect the general patho-physiological components of AMI, and that different subtypes are a consequence of the localization and extent of the process.

Sudden cardiac death and geomagnetic activity: links to age, gender and agony time.

BACKGROUND: In previous studies, we analyzed sudden cardiac death (SCD) of shorter and longer agony time with geomagnetic activity (GMA) levels, with controversial results. The goals of the present study were (1) to study SCD at ages below 65 and 65 and older for each gender on days of low (Io) and higher (IIo-IVo) GMA; (2) to compare links between SCD and GMA with death at 1 h and from 1 to 24 h. METHODS: We studied 1327 SCD, 392 (29.5%) females and 935 (70.5%) males, from the Kaunas Registry (part of the MONICA Study): 785 deaths during 1826 consecutive days (1994-1998) at ages 25 to 64 years and 524 deaths at ages 65 and older during 732 consecutive days (1996-1997). Of these, 261 SCD occurred at 1 h, 1076 between 1 h and 24 h without prodromes. GMA data were obtained from the National Geophysical Data Center and the National Space Services Center, USA. Student t-test and its probabilities for daily SCD at Io and IIo-IVo GMA were compared. RESULTS: The daily number of SCD was significantly different for most of the compared groups at lowest and higher GMA levels. For all SCD, both at age <65 and at >65, the frequency was significantly higher on days of IIo-IVo GMA than on days of Io GMA (p=0.00067-0.03). A strong trend for more SCD on days of Io GMA was seen in males aged <65 who died within 1 h (p=0.06); females aged <65 who died within >1 h to 24 h (p=0.06), and females >65 who died within 1 h (p=0.0267). Females below the age of 65 who died in less than 1 h showed a trend toward higher SCD frequency at IIo-IVo GMA that did not achieve significance (p=0.057). CONCLUSIONS: The distribution of SCD, with short (< or =1h) and longer (1-24 h) time of death, on days of lowest (Io) GMA differs from that on days of unsettled, active, or stormy (IIo-IVo) GMA. Despite the general trend to higher SCD frequency at IIo-IVo GMA, certain rapidly dying groups (< 65 y males, > 65 y females) showed a strong trend toward higher numbers of SCD at the lowest GMA.