Effects of the Lunar Cycle, Seasons and the Meteorological Factors on Peripheral Vertigo

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to determine whether peripheral vertigo is related to the lunar cycle, the seasons, or meteorological factors, in patients who presented to the ear, nose, and throat clinic.

Methods: All the patients, diagnosed with vertigo between January 2020 and January 2022, were identified through a retrospective review of our hospital database. The clinical and demographic data of the patients were recorded. Daily humidity (minimum, average, and maximum; %), daily temperature (minimum, average, and maximum; °C), daily average and maximum wind speed (m/min), daily air pressure (minimum and average maximum; hPa) and wind direction (degrees) values were noted. Also, the phases of the moon, i.e., first quarter, new moon, last quarter, and full moon periods were determined.

Results: A total of 5,432 patients were included in the study. No statistically significant differences were noted among them with respect to the lunar cycle (p=0.233). However, patient density was found to increase in the winter months.

Conclusion: This study concluded that the frequency of diseases is related to meteorological factors, nonetheless, no statistical relationship was found between the lunar cycle and the frequency of patient entries.

Keywords: Vertigo; benign paroxysmal positional vertigo; lunar cycle; meteorological factors; season.

Figure 1

Overall correlation between the average temperature and the number of vertigo patients