Faculty mentor/PI email address
jim010@aol.com
Is your research Teaching and Learning based?
1
Keywords
Sickle cell disease; vaso-occlusive crisis; rainfall; air quality index; PM2.5; environmental pollutants; endothelial dysfunction; oxidative stress; emergency medicine; environmental health
Date of Presentation
5-6-2026 12:00 AM
Poster Abstract
.Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) frequently report that weather changes precipitate vaso-occlusive crises (VOC). While prior investigations have focused primarily on temperature, humidity, and seasonal variation, emerging data suggest that rainfall patterns may represent a more meaningful environmental signal. In a multi-hospital Emergency Department analysis, below-average rainfall days were associated with significantly increased adult VOC presentations (Ahmed et al., 2023). Rainfall may function as an atmospheric clearing mechanism; reduced precipitation may permit accumulation of airborne particulate matter and environmental pollutants, increasing oxidative stress and endothelial activation—mechanisms central to vaso-occlusion. Multiple epidemiologic studies demonstrate associations between particulate exposure and increased healthcare utilization in SCD (Blumberg et al., 2020; Wen et al., 2024). We propose a conceptual framework in which rainfall indirectly modulates VOC risk through pollutant burden and microvascular instability. This reframing integrates patient-reported weather triggers with environmental pathophysiology and carries implications for anticipatory guidance and systems-level awareness in Emergency Medicine.
Disciplines
Hemic and Lymphatic Diseases | Medicine and Health Sciences
Included in
Rainfall, Air Quality, and Vaso-Occlusive Crisis in Adults with Sickle Cell Disease
.Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) frequently report that weather changes precipitate vaso-occlusive crises (VOC). While prior investigations have focused primarily on temperature, humidity, and seasonal variation, emerging data suggest that rainfall patterns may represent a more meaningful environmental signal. In a multi-hospital Emergency Department analysis, below-average rainfall days were associated with significantly increased adult VOC presentations (Ahmed et al., 2023). Rainfall may function as an atmospheric clearing mechanism; reduced precipitation may permit accumulation of airborne particulate matter and environmental pollutants, increasing oxidative stress and endothelial activation—mechanisms central to vaso-occlusion. Multiple epidemiologic studies demonstrate associations between particulate exposure and increased healthcare utilization in SCD (Blumberg et al., 2020; Wen et al., 2024). We propose a conceptual framework in which rainfall indirectly modulates VOC risk through pollutant burden and microvascular instability. This reframing integrates patient-reported weather triggers with environmental pathophysiology and carries implications for anticipatory guidance and systems-level awareness in Emergency Medicine.