Association between ambient temperature and mammalian-related injuries in Guangzhou, China, 2014-2019.

BACKGROUND: Meteorological factors are associated with various health outcomes. However, it remains uncertain whether ambient temperature affects animal aggressive behaviors and causes mammalian-related injuries (MRI) in humans. The study aimed to examine the effect of daily mean temperature on MRI in Guangzhou, China. METHODS: Individual cases of MRI were obtained from Guangzhou Injury Surveillance System during 2014-2019. A combination of a distributed lag nonlinear model and conditional quasi-Poisson regression, implemented within a time-stratified case-crossover design, was employed to evaluate the association between temperature and MRI. Subgroup analyses were conducted by sex, age group, education level, and types of mammals. RESULT: This study included 24,206 MRI cases among which 89.7 % were caused by cats or dogs. We observed a nonlinear relationship between daily mean temperature and MRI. The impact of high temperatures was most pronounced on the current day and remained statistically significant on the next day. Compared with the reference temperature with a minimum risk of injuries (9.3 °C, approximately 2nd percentile of temperature), 75th percentile of temperature (27.4 °C) exerted the greatest relative risk (RR) of injuries (RR = 1.45, 95 % CI: 1.25-1.68) over lag 0-1 days. In subgroup analyses, the effects of high temperatures among males and females were similar. Individuals aged 15-34 years and 35-59 years were more susceptible to MRI at high temperatures compared to other age groups. The risk of injuries caused by cats or dogs consistently increased with high temperatures. We did not find significant impacts of low temperatures. CONCLUSION: Short-term heat exposure plays an important role in the occurrence of MRI. The findings highlight the importance of enhancing public awareness regarding the high temperature-associated hazards posed by mammals. There is a need for enhanced regulations and measures on the management for cats and dogs to mitigate the harm caused in hot seasons.

[Efficacy observation on benign prostatic hyperplasia treated with acupuncture and moxibustion].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the difference in the clinical efficacy on benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) between the acupuncture-moxibustion therapy and the medication of Qianliekang tablets. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-eight patients were randomized into an acupuncture-moxibustion group and a Qianliekang group, 64 cases in each one. In the acupuncture-moxibustion group, acupuncture was applied to Shenshu (BL 23), Pangguangshu (BL 28), Zhongji (CV 3), Guanyuan (CV 4) and Shuidao (ST 28), and the warm moxibustion therapy with moxa stick was used at Shenshu (BL 23), Guanyuan (CV 4) and Shenque (CV 8), once every day. In the Qianliekang group, Qianliekang tablets were prescribed for oral administration, 4 tablets each time, three times a day, for 3 months. The International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) and the changes in residual urine (Ru) and maximal urine flow rate (Qmax) determined with the ultrasonic B test were compared before and after treatment in the two groups. RESULTS: The results of I-PSS, Qmax and Ru were improved obviously after treatment as compared with those before treatment in the two groups (all P < 0.05). The improvements in the acupuncture-moxibustion group were much more obvious than those in the Qianliekang group [8.62 +/- 2.18 vs 15.26 +/- 2.81, (16.04 +/- 4.33) mL/s vs (12.47 +/- 2.13) mL/s, (10.43 +/- 2.14) mL vs (32.13 +/- 3.24) mL, all P < 0.01]. The total effective rate was 89.1% (57/64) in the acupuncture-moxibustion group, which was better than 68.7% (44/64) in the Qianliekang group. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture-moxibustion therapy achieves the significant efficacy on BPH, which is better than the oral administration of Qianliekang tablets.