Impact of meteorological factors on premature rupture of membranes in Guangzhou, China: A case-crossover study

Objective To investigate the impact of meteorological factors on premature rupture of membranes (PROM) in Guangzhou, China.

Methods The fitting conditional logistic regression model and the generalized additive model were used to investigate the impact of meteorological factors on PROM in different seasons based on time-stratified case-crossover study. The (0-5)-day cross-lagged regression analysis and the multivariate model analysis were used to calculate the odds ratio of the increased risk of PROM for every 1 unit increase in each meteorological factor.

Results In spring, diurnal temperature range (DTR) had a significant impact on the risk of PROM on lag1 d, and for every 1 ℃ increase in DTR, the risk of PROM was increased by 4.4% (95% CI: 1.2%-7.7%); wind speed had a significant impact on the risk of PROM on lag0 d, and for every 1 m/s increase in wind speed, the risk of PROM was increased by 14.0% (95% CI: 0.6%-29.1%). In summer, DTR had a significant impact on the risk of PROM on lag4 d, and for every 1 ℃ increase in DTR, the risk of PROM was increased by 4.7% (95% CI: 0.3%-9.3%); daily mean temperature had the greatest impact on the risk of PROM on lag0 d, and for every 1 ℃ increase in daily mean temperature, the risk of PROM was increased by 18.3% (95% CI: 9.2%-28.1%). In autumn, the increase in meteorological factors did not increase the risk of PROM. In winter, relative humidity(RH) had a significant impact on the risk of PROM on lag5 d, and for every 1% increase in RH. the risk of PROM was increased by 1.8% (95% CI: 0.7%-3.0%); daily mean pressure had a significant impact on the risk of PROM on lag5 d, and for every 1 hPa increase in daily mean pressure, the risk of PROM was increased by 3.2% (95% CI: 0.7%-5.8%); daily mean wind speed had a significant impact on the risk of PROM on lag1 d, and for every 1 m/s increase in daily mean wind speed, the risk of PROM was increased by 10.5% (95% CI: 0.3%-21.7%).

Conclusion The increases in DRT and daily mean wind speed in spring, DRT and daily mean temperature in summer, and RH, daily mean wind speed, and daily mean pressure in winter may increase the risk of PROM in Guangzhou, which should be taken seriously in clinical practice.