Overview
- Researchers reviewed 4,439 asthma-related emergency visits across three Wichita hospitals from 2020 to 2024 and identified 38 thunderstorm days using federal meteorological records.
- Storm days made up about 2% of the period yet accounted for 14.1% of asthma ER visits, with daily averages of roughly 17.9 visits on storm days versus 3.1 on other days.
- Older age was the only demographic factor linked to higher likelihood of presenting during storm-related surges, while gender, zip code, and disposition were not significant.
- Findings were presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology meeting and are described as forthcoming in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, with peer review pending.
- Allergists recommend adding storm-specific steps to asthma action plans, noting hypothesized triggers such as storm-driven pollen or mold fragmentation, and warning of episodic burdens on emergency departments.