Background
Methods
Patients
Category | Criteria |
---|---|
A | Perennial symptoms of rhinitis are present |
B | Three major symptoms (sneezing, nasal discharge, and nasal congestion) are induced by environmental changes, at some time of the day or by stress |
C | Pathologic allergens responsible for perennial subjective symptoms were absent (or unknown) in the blood tests carried out to check for IgE specific to representative allergens of inhalational or dietary origin conducted at any otorhinolaryngology clinic or our clinic |
Analytical processes and statistical analyses
Data from nonallergic rhinitis patients
Environment factors
Statistical analyses
Meteorological event | Mean | SD | Spearman’s correlation coefficient (r) |
p
| Number | Exclusiona
| Multiple regression analysis correlation coefficientb
| SE | Standard regression coefficient (β) |
t
|
p
| Coefficient of determinationd (β × r) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean station pressure (hPa) | 997.250 | 19.490 | −0.013 | 0.800 | 365 | 0.006 | 0.003 | 0.094 | 1.856 | 0.064 | <0.001 | ||||
Mean sea-level pressure (hPa) | 1010.760 | 19.719 | 0.019 | 0.720 | 365 | + | |||||||||
Minimum sea-level pressure (hPa) | 1009.760 | 3.850 | −0.107 | * | 0.041 | 365 | + | ||||||||
Total precipitation (mm) | 2.080 | 3.064 | 0.087 | 0.098 | 365 | 0.025 | 0.035 | 0.058 | 0.724 | 0.470 | 0.005 | ||||
Maximum hourly precipitation (mm) | 0.941 | 1.332 | 0.043 | 0.409 | 365 | + | |||||||||
Maximum 10-min precipitation (mm) | 0.402 | 0.595 | 0.036 | 0.493 | 365 | 0.282 | 0.197 | 0.125 | 1.433 | 0.153 | <0.001 | ||||
Mean temperature (°C) | 15.321 | 9.009 | −0.269 | ** | <0.0001 | 365 | −0.146 | 0.300 | −0.961 | −0.488 | 0.626 | 0.259 | |||
Maximum temperature (°C) | 20.726 | 9.087 | −0.252 | ** | <0.0001 | 365 | 0.208 | 0.317 | 1.372 | 0.655 | 0.513 | −0.346 | |||
Minimum temperature (°C) | 10.888 | 9.161 | −0.274 | ** | <0.0001 | 365 | + | ||||||||
Temperature difference (°C)c
| 9.838 | 1.639 | 0.205 | ** | <0.0001 | 365 | 0.281 | 0.221 | 0.344 | 1.274 | 0.204 | 0.071 | |||
Mean vapor pressure (hPa) | 12.354 | 8.064 | −0.290 | ** | <0.0001 | 365 | −0.162 | ** | 0.055 | −0.942 | −2.942 | 0.003 | 0.273 | * | |
Mean humidity (%) | 58.978 | 10.226 | −0.320 | ** | <0.0001 | 365 | −0.042 | 0.030 | −0.315 | −1.373 | 0.171 | 0.101 | |||
Minimum humidity (%) | 38.117 | 9.961 | −0.311 | ** | <0.0001 | 365 | 0.001 | 0.037 | 0.007 | 0.026 | 0.979 | <0.001 | |||
Mean wind speed (m/s) | 3.019 | 0.638 | 0.330 | ** | <0.0001 | 365 | −0.134 | 0.285 | −0.063 | −0.471 | 0.638 | −0.021 | |||
Maximum wind speed (m/s) | 6.159 | 1.141 | 0.361 | ** | <0.0001 | 365 | 0.022 | 0.154 | 0.019 | 0.142 | 0.887 | 0.007 | |||
Maximum instantaneous wind speed (m/s) | 10.898 | 2.298 | 0.359 | ** | <0.0001 | 365 | + | ||||||||
Duration of daylight (h) | 6.666 | 2.029 | 0.131 | * | 0.012 | 365 | −0.165 | 0.129 | −0.249 | −1.280 | 0.202 | −0.033 | |||
Total global solar radiation (MJ/mm2) | 15.098 | 4.701 | 0.148 | ** | 0.005 | 365 | −0.045 | 0.064 | −0.156 | −0.700 | 0.485 | −0.023 | |||
Total snowfall (cm) | 0.017 | 0.087 | 0.065 | 0.216 | 365 | −0.492 | 0.785 | −0.032 | −0.627 | 0.531 | <0.001 | ||||
Maximum snow depth (cm) | 0.022 | 0.122 | 0.065 | 0.214 | 365 | + | |||||||||
Mean cloud cover (%) | 5.970 | 2.094 | −0.148 | ** | 0.005 | 365 | 0.326 | ** | 0.090 | 0.505 | 3.606 | <0.0001 | −0.075 | * | |
Sulfur dioxide (ppm) | 0.002 | 0.000 | −0.359 | ** | <0.0001 | 365 | −551.346 | ** | 193.043 | −0.162 | −2.856 | 0.005 | 0.058 | * | |
Nitric oxide (ppm) | 0.001 | 0.001 | −0.409 | ** | <0.0001 | 365 | −251.464 | ** | 95.798 | −0.220 | −2.625 | 0.009 | 0.090 | * | |
Nitrogen dioxide (ppm) | 0.008 | 0.002 | −0.147 | ** | 0.005 | 365 | −111.394 | 66.856 | −0.153 | −1.666 | 0.097 | 0.022 | |||
Nitrogen oxides (ppm) | 0.010 | 0.003 | −0.212 | ** | <0.0001 | 365 | + | ||||||||
Carbon monoxide (ppm) | 0.228 | 0.056 | 0.145 | ** | 0.006 | 365 | 4.641 | 3.277 | 0.193 | 1.416 | 0.158 | 0.028 | |||
Photochemical oxidant (ppm) | 0.034 | 0.009 | 0.404 | ** | <0.0001 | 365 | −10.868 | 27.290 | −0.070 | −0.398 | 0.691 | −0.028 | |||
Non-methane hydrocarbons (ppbC) | 0.203 | 0.069 | −0.165 | ** | 0.002 | 365 | 1.951 | 1.541 | 0.100 | 1.266 | 0.206 | −0.017 | |||
Methane (ppbC) | 1.958 | 0.059 | −0.400 | ** | <0.0001 | 365 | −2.079 | 1.214 | −0.082 | −1.713 | 0.088 | 0.033 | |||
Total hydrocarbon content (ppbC) | 2.161 | 0.101 | −0.208 | ** | <0.0001 | 365 | + | ||||||||
Suspended particulate matter (mg/m3) | 0.015 | 0.007 | 0.017 | 0.748 | 365 | 31.455 | 20.917 | 0.151 | 1.504 | 0.134 | <0.001 |
Meteorological event | Mean | SD | Spearman’s correlation coefficient (r) |
p
| Number | Exclusiona
| Multiple regression analysis Correlation coefficientb
| SE | Standard regression coefficient (β) |
t
|
p
| Coefficient of determinationd (β × r) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean station pressure (hPa) | 995.762 | 27.124 | 0.056 | 0.449 | 184 | −0.001 | 0.002 | −0.032 | −0.470 | 0.638 | −0.002 | ||||
Mean sea-level pressure (hPa) | 1009.260 | 27.401 | −0.017 | 0.821 | 184 | + | <0.0001 | ||||||||
Minimum sea-level pressure (hPa) | 1011.090 | 2.929 | 0.044 | 0.555 | 184 | 0.008 | 0.010 | 0.058 | 0.832 | 0.406 | 0.003 | ||||
Total precipitation (mm) | 2.148 | 3.265 | 0.475 | ** | <0.0001 | 184 | 0.011 | 0.018 | 0.063 | 0.628 | 0.530 | 0.030 | |||
Maximum hourly precipitation (mm) | 1.065 | 1.506 | 0.485 | ** | <0.0001 | 184 | + | <0.0001 | |||||||
Maximum 10-min precipitation (mm) | 0.436 | 0.640 | 0.513 | ** | <0.0001 | 184 | 0.215 | * | 0.099 | 0.233 | 2.168 | 0.031 | 0.120 | * | |
Mean temperature (°C) | 15.222 | 9.917 | 0.375 | ** | <0.0001 | 184 | 0.074 | ** | 0.023 | 1.183 | 3.164 | 0.002 | 0.444 | * | |
Maximum temperature (°C) | 20.440 | 10.094 | 0.382 | ** | <0.0001 | 184 | + | <0.0001 | |||||||
Minimum temperature (°C) | 10.973 | 9.914 | 0.369 | ** | <0.0001 | 184 | + | <0.0001 | |||||||
Temperature difference (°C)c
| 9.468 | 0.931 | −0.043 | 0.562 | 184 | 0.176 | ** | 0.043 | 0.526 | 4.113 | <0.0001 | −0.023 | * | ||
Mean vapor pressure (hPa) | 12.957 | 8.644 | 0.382 | ** | <0.0001 | 184 | −0.107 | ** | 0.025 | −1.526 | −4.369 | <0.0001 | −0.584 | * | |
Mean humidity (%) | 61.053 | 8.040 | 0.557 | ** | <0.0001 | 184 | 0.008 | 0.014 | 0.143 | 0.538 | 0.591 | 0.080 | |||
Minimum humidity (%) | 39.784 | 7.539 | 0.518 | ** | <0.0001 | 184 | + | <0.0001 | |||||||
Mean wind speed (m/s) | 2.874 | 0.455 | −0.442 | ** | <0.0001 | 184 | 0.184 | 0.143 | 0.211 | 1.282 | 0.201 | −0.093 | |||
Maximum wind speed (m/s) | 5.880 | 0.840 | −0.319 | ** | <0.0001 | 184 | −0.118 | 0.074 | −0.242 | −1.596 | 0.111 | 0.077 | |||
Maximum instantaneous wind speed (m/s) | 10.395 | 1.646 | −0.358 | ** | <0.0001 | 184 | + | <0.0001 | |||||||
Duration of daylight (h) | 6.669 | 1.554 | −0.322 | ** | <0.0001 | 184 | −0.030 | 0.059 | −0.110 | −0.507 | 0.612 | 0.035 | |||
Total global solar radiation (MJ/mm2) | 13.078 | 4.397 | 0.268 | ** | 0.000 | 184 | −0.036 | 0.033 | −0.306 | −1.095 | 0.274 | −0.082 | |||
Total snowfall (cm) | 0.000 | 0.000 | - | - | 184 | + | <0.0001 | ||||||||
Maximum snow depth (cm) | 0.000 | 0.000 | - | - | 184 | + | <0.0001 | ||||||||
Mean cloud cover (%) | 5.593 | 1.915 | 0.317 | ** | <0.0001 | 184 | 0.086 | * | 0.044 | 0.327 | 1.986 | 0.048 | 0.104 | * | |
Sulfur dioxide (ppm) | 0.002 | 0.000 | −0.665 | ** | <0.0001 | 184 | 11.699 | 97.038 | 0.008 | 0.121 | 0.904 | −0.005 | |||
Nitric oxide (ppm) | 0.002 | 0.001 | −0.046 | 0.537 | 184 | −119.889 | * | 48.946 | −0.256 | −2.449 | 0.015 | 0.012 | * | ||
Nitrogen dioxide (ppm) | 0.009 | 0.002 | −0.409 | ** | <0.0001 | 184 | −49.753 | 34.335 | −0.167 | −1.449 | 0.148 | 0.068 | |||
Nitrogen oxides (ppm) | 0.010 | 0.003 | −0.302 | ** | <0.0001 | 184 | + | <0.0001 | |||||||
Carbon monoxide (ppm) | 0.231 | 0.054 | −0.418 | ** | <0.0001 | 184 | 2.780 | * | 1.585 | 0.282 | 1.754 | 0.080 | −0.118 | * | |
Photochemical oxidant (ppm) | 0.028 | 0.005 | 0.038 | 0.606 | 184 | −18.443 | 14.386 | −0.288 | −1.282 | 0.201 | −0.011 | ||||
Non-methane hydrocarbons (ppbC) | 0.181 | 0.084 | −0.157 | ** | 0.033 | 184 | 0.095 | 0.814 | 0.012 | 0.117 | 0.907 | −0.002 | |||
Methane (ppbC) | 1.956 | 0.030 | −0.035 | 0.634 | 184 | 0.150 | 0.615 | 0.014 | 0.244 | 0.807 | 0.000 | ||||
Total hydrocarbon content (ppbC) | 2.137 | 0.101 | −0.116 | 0.118 | 184 | + | <0.0001 | ||||||||
Suspended particulate matter (mg/m3) | 0.012 | 0.005 | 0.224 | ** | 0.002 | 184 | −3.327 | 10.619 | −0.039 | −0.313 | 0.754 | −0.009 |
Meteorological event | Mean | SD | Spearman’s correlation coefficient (r) |
p
| Number | Exclusiona
| Multiple regression analysis Correlation coefficientb
| SE | Standard regression coefficient (β) |
t
|
p
| Coefficient of determinationd (β × r) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean station pressure (hPa) | 998.764 | 3.955 | 0.266 | ** | 0.000 | 165 | −0.119 | 0.066 | −0.421 | −1.812 | 0.072 | −0.112 | |||
Mean sea-level pressure (hPa) | 1012.290 | 4.285 | 0.318 | ** | <0.0001 | 165 | + | ||||||||
Minimum sea-level pressure (hPa) | 1008.410 | 4.199 | 0.098 | 0.189 | 165 | 0.056 | 0.060 | 0.214 | 0.928 | 0.355 | 0.021 | ||||
Total precipitation (mm) | 2.012 | 2.852 | −0.205 | ** | 0.006 | 165 | 0.007 | 0.027 | 0.020 | 0.263 | 0.793 | −0.004 | |||
Maximum hourly precipitation (mm) | 0.815 | 1.117 | −0.269 | ** | 0.000 | 165 | + | ||||||||
Maximum 10-min precipitation (mm) | 0.368 | 0.546 | −0.267 | ** | 0.000 | 165 | −0.319 | 0.206 | −0.172 | −1.545 | 0.125 | 0.046 | |||
Mean temperature (°C) | 15.421 | 8.007 | −0.596 | ** | <0.0001 | 165 | −0.061 | 0.057 | −0.437 | −1.074 | 0.285 | 0.260 | |||
Maximum temperature (°C) | 21.017 | 7.952 | −0.570 | ** | <0.0001 | 165 | + | ||||||||
Minimum temperature (°C) | 10.802 | 8.354 | −0.582 | ** | <0.0001 | 165 | + | ||||||||
Temperature difference (°C)c
| 10.215 | 2.066 | 0.394 | ** | <0.0001 | 165 | 0.164 | ** | 0.061 | 0.338 | 2.679 | 0.008 | 0.133 | * | |
Mean vapor pressure (hPa) | 11.741 | 7.402 | −0.548 | ** | <0.0001 | 165 | −0.079 | 0.060 | −0.517 | −1.318 | 0.190 | 0.283 | |||
Mean humidity (%) | 56.868 | 11.699 | −0.538 | ** | <0.0001 | 165 | −0.026 | 0.028 | −0.298 | −0.936 | 0.351 | 0.160 | |||
Minimum humidity (%) | 36.423 | 11.711 | −0.514 | ** | <0.0001 | 165 | + | ||||||||
Mean wind speed (m/s) | 3.166 | 0.755 | 0.441 | ** | <0.0001 | 165 | −0.521 | 0.281 | −0.379 | −1.852 | 0.066 | −0.167 | |||
Maximum wind speed (m/s) | 6.442 | 1.325 | 0.527 | ** | <0.0001 | 165 | 0.001 | 0.120 | 0.002 | 0.012 | 0.990 | 0.001 | |||
Maximum instantaneous wind speed (m/s) | 11.409 | 2.720 | 0.508 | ** | <0.0001 | 165 | + | ||||||||
Duration of daylight (h) | 6.662 | 2.422 | 0.358 | ** | <0.0001 | 165 | −0.018 | 0.145 | −0.044 | −0.126 | 0.900 | −0.016 | |||
Total global solar radiation (MJ/mm2) | 17.151 | 4.079 | 0.069 | 0.355 | 165 | −0.187 | * | 0.080 | −0.739 | −2.332 | 0.021 | −0.051 | |||
Total snowfall (cm) | 0.033 | 0.122 | −0.152 | ** | 0.042 | 165 | −2.755 | ** | 0.753 | −0.315 | −3.657 | <0.0001 | 0.048 | * | |
Maximum snow depth (cm) | 0.044 | 0.171 | −0.151 | ** | 0.043 | 165 | + | ||||||||
Mean cloud cover (%) | 6.354 | 2.201 | −0.438 | ** | <0.0001 | 165 | 0.036 | 0.082 | 0.076 | 0.438 | 0.662 | −0.033 | |||
Sulfur dioxide (ppm) | 0.002 | 0.001 | −0.517 | ** | <0.0001 | 165 | −367.808 | 187.422 | −0.145 | −1.962 | 0.052 | 0.075 | |||
Nitric oxide (ppm) | 0.001 | 0.001 | −0.473 | ** | <0.0001 | 165 | −78.669 | 462.055 | −0.024 | −0.170 | 0.865 | 0.011 | |||
Nitrogen dioxide (ppm) | 0.008 | 0.002 | −0.226 | ** | 0.002 | 165 | −89.809 | 80.579 | −0.136 | −1.115 | 0.267 | 0.031 | |||
Nitrogen oxides (ppm) | 0.009 | 0.002 | −0.321 | ** | <0.0001 | 165 | + | ||||||||
Carbon monoxide (ppm) | 0.225 | 0.059 | 0.372 | ** | <0.0001 | 165 | 1.731 | 2.204 | 0.093 | 0.785 | 0.434 | 0.035 | |||
Photochemical oxidant (ppm) | 0.041 | 0.006 | 0.369 | ** | <0.0001 | 165 | 40.791 | 28.410 | 0.239 | 1.436 | 0.153 | 0.088 | |||
Non - methane hydrocarbons (ppbC) | 0.225 | 0.038 | −0.377 | ** | <0.0001 | 165 | 5.745 | ** | 1.543 | 0.209 | 3.722 | <0.0001 | −0.079 | * | |
Methane (ppbC) | 1.961 | 0.078 | −0.456 | ** | <0.0001 | 165 | −0.684 | 0.807 | −0.047 | −0.848 | 0.398 | 0.021 | |||
Total hydrocarbon content (ppbC) | 2.186 | 0.096 | −0.536 | ** | <0.0001 | 165 | + | ||||||||
Suspended particulate matter (mg/m3) | 0.018 | 0.007 | −0.215 | ** | 0.004 | 165 | 45.817 | ** | 14.548 | 0.300 | 3.149 | 0.002 | −0.064 | * |