European journal of epidemiology
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To examine the pattern and strength of seasonal fluctuations in emergency department (ED) visits due to asthma, by month and day of the week, by the patient's age, gender, and severity of asthma attack. ⋯ The strength of seasonal patterns of asthma ED visits is influenced by age and the severity of attack, and to a lesser extent, gender. Understanding the significance of seasonal precipitants of asthma in different patients subgroups could lead to better management strategies.
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Mortality in the USA has been shown to spike on Christmas and New Year's Day. No comparable analyses are available for European data despite recognised seasonal mortality variations. ⋯ No disturbance of trend was seen at Easter. The causes of the 'holiday phenomenon' are not understood, but absence of a Christmas spike in NNT may indicate that it is preventable.