Records on every 6 hour symptom were kept for the period from July 15 through November 30, 1983 by 19, 19 and 26 patients who were outpatients at the Sapporo Civil Hospital, the University of Tokyo Hospital and the University of Ryukyu Hospital. Every 6 hour fluctuations in percentage of asthmatic symptoms were calculated from these records.
Meteorological conditions prevailing each city were classified into 9 patterns, i. e., west-high-east-low pattern, north-high pattern, south-high-north-low pattern, east-high-west-low pattern, ridge pattern, trough pattern (east-west), migratory anticyclone pattern, trough pattern (south-north) and tropical depression pattern.
An asthma frequency (AF)in days under a certain type of meteorological conditions was compared with that in all the other days. Asthmatic symptoms were more frequent in the days under west-high-east-low pattern and those under migratory anticyclone pattern were also higher. An AF in days under south-high-north-low pattern and that in days under trough pattern (east-west) were lower.
Most of days under west-high-east-low pattern were in late autumn in each of the 3 cities. The temperature of the days in Tokyo under this pattern were lower than the control days which belonged to the same period. Days under migratory anticyclone pattern were in the whole period of this study in Sapporo, in autumn in Tokyo and Naha. The temperature of these days in Sapporo and Tokyo was significantly lower than those of the control days.
Most of days under south-high-north-low pattern were in summer in each of the 3 cities. The temperature of the days in Tokyo under this pattern was significantly higher than those of the controls. Days under trough pattern (east-west) were from late summer to autumn in Naha. There was no difference in the temperature between the days under this pattern and the control days.
In summary, some of meteorological conditions had acute effects on asthma frequencies. When significant differences were observed in the temperature, it was lower (higher) in the days under a meteorological condition, under which the asthma frequency was high (low), than in the control days which belonged to the same period.