Respiratory issues rise with fluctuations of night temps, say Pune docs

The night temperature on Sunday was 18.9 degrees Celsius. It has seen an increase from 11.1 degrees Celsius reported on Friday

With night temperatures rising drastically in the past few days and an increase in pollution, there has been a surge in respiratory issues among many high-risk patients.

With night temperatures rising drastically in the past few days and an increase in pollution, there has been a surge in respiratory issues among many high-risk patients. (REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE)

The night temperature on Sunday was 18.9 degrees Celsius. It has seen an increase from 11.1 degrees Celsius reported on Friday.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the night temperature was 5.8 degrees higher than normal on Sunday.

Speaking about the concerns, Dr Bhushan Nagarkar, consultant, Critical Care, Manipal Hospitals, Baner said that there has been an increase in fluctuations of temperature and there has been an increase in cases of allergies in Pune, especially due to pollens released from plants.

“The cases of allergies are increasing dramatically among people who already suffer from respiratory problems like COPD or asthma and even those with no respiratory issues. Upper respiratory tract infections, such as sinusitis and sore throat, occur frequently and take a longer time to recover. In the last few days, we’ve seen temperatures rise to extremes more frequently than usual, especially at night. We should have cooler temperatures during the day and night in December,” Dr Nagarkar stated.

He added that there are more incidents where days are cooler and nights are warmer.

“As a result, people are unable to adapt to the sudden change, making them susceptible to allergies and flu. Children and the elderly are more vulnerable to this change because their bodies are unable to adapt to it. Even younger people and those with comorbidities (such as hypertension or diabetes) are now being affected by severe upper respiratory tract infections “Dr Nagarkar added.

Sharing more insights, Dr Sachinkumar Dole, professor, Respiratory Medicine at DY Patil Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Pune said that it has been found that an increase of 1°C in temperature range especially at night is associated with a 2.5% increase in daily emergency asthma hospitalisations across Asian countries.

“Young children who are less than 5 years of age and older adults especially living in metro cities like Pune appear to be particularly vulnerable to rapid fluctuations in ambient temperature. Changes in temperature and air pollution increases viral activity and transmission especially influenza and Respiratory Syncytial virus (RSV) causing a rise in the frequency of respiratory diseases,” Dr Dole said.