Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The major influence of the atmosphere on intracranial pressure: an observational study

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
International Journal of Biometeorology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The impact of the atmosphere on human physiology has been studied widely within the last years. In practice, intracranial pressure is a pressure difference between intracranial compartments and the surrounding atmosphere. This means that gauge intracranial pressure uses atmospheric pressure as its zero point, and therefore, this method of pressure measurement excludes the effects of barometric pressure’s fluctuation. The comparison of these two physical quantities can only take place through their absolute value relationship. The aim of this study is to investigate the direct effect of barometric pressure on the absolute intracranial pressure homeostasis. A prospective observational cross-sectional open study was conducted in Szczecin, Poland. In 28 neurosurgical patients with suspected normal-pressure hydrocephalus, intracranial intraventricular pressure was monitored in a sitting position. A total of 168 intracranial pressure and atmospheric pressure measurements were performed. Absolute atmospheric pressure was recorded directly. All values of intracranial gauge pressure were converted to absolute pressure (the sum of gauge intracranial pressure and local absolute atmospheric pressure). The average absolute mean intracranial pressure in the patients is 1006.6 hPa (95 % CI 1004.5 to 1008.8 hPa, SEM 1.1), and the mean absolute atmospheric pressure is 1007.9 hPa (95 % CI 1006.3 to 1009.6 hPa, SEM 0.8). The observed association between atmospheric and intracranial pressure is strongly significant (Spearman correlation r = 0.87, p < 0.05) and all the measurements are perfectly reliable (Bland-Altman coefficient is 4.8 %). It appears from this study that changes in absolute intracranial pressure are related to seasonal variation. Absolute intracranial pressure is shown to be impacted positively by atmospheric pressure.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aubiniere-Robb L, Jeemon P, Hastie CE, Patel RK, McCallum L, Morrison D, Walters M, Dawson J, Sloan W, Muir S, Dominiczak AF, McInnes GT, Padmanabhan S (2013) Blood pressure response to patterns of weather fluctuations and effect on mortality. Hypertension 62:190–196

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bistras R, Scott GBI (2013) New non-invasive intracranial pressure measurement device used to assess elevated brain pressure in patients may also benefit astronauts. NSBRI News Releases. http://www.nsbri.org/newsflash/indivArticle.asp?id=454&articleID=190. Accessed 8 Nov 2014

  • Cengel YA, Cimbala JM (2006) Fluid mechanics: fundamentals and applications. McGraw-Hill Higher Education, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheng LT, Jiang HY, Tang LJ, Wang T (2006) Seasonal variation in blood pressure of patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Blood Purif 24:499–507

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cusco L (1998) Guide to the measurement of pressure and vacuum. The Institute of Measurement and Control, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Eide PK, Sorteberg W (2010) Diagnostic intracranial pressure monitoring and surgical management in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus: a 6-year review of 214 patients. Neurosurgery 66:80–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gillum DR (2009) Industrial pressure, level, and density measurement. ISA Press, Pennsylvania

    Google Scholar 

  • Iwabu A, Konishi K, Tokutake H, Yamane S, Ohnishi H, Tominaga Y, Kusachi S (2010) Inverse correlation between seasonal changes in home blood pressure and atmospheric temperature in treated-hypertensive patients. Clin Exp Hypertens 32:221–226

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jehn M, Appel LJ, Sacks FM, Miller ER 3rd (2002) The effect of ambient temperature and barometric pressure on ambulatory blood pressure variability. Am J Hypertens 15:941–945

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Melnikov VN, Komliagina TG, Slu R, Krivoshchekov SG (2010) Solar phase effect on elasticity of the brachial artery and blood flow in humans. Aviakosm Ekolog Med 44:55–60

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Modesti PA, Morabito M, Massetti L, Rapi S, Orlandini S, Mancia G, Gensini GF, Parati G (2013) Seasonal blood pressure changes: an independent relationship with temperature and daylight hours. Hypertension 61:908–914

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morabito M, Crisci A, Orlandini S, Maracchi G, Gensini GF, Modesti PA (2008) A synoptic approach to weather conditions discloses a relationship with ambulatory blood pressure in hypertensives. Am J Hypertens 21:748–752

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nusbaum DM (2011) Two-depth transcranial Doppler: a novel approach for non-invasive absolute intracranial pressure measurement. Aviat Space Environ Med 82:1080–1081

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qvarlander S, Sundstrom N, Malm J, Eklund A (2013) Postural effects on intracranial pressure: modeling and clinical evaluation. J Appl Physiol 115:1474–1480

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ragauskas A, Daubaris G, Dziugys A, Azelis V, Gedrimas V (2005) Innovative non-invasive method for absolute intracranial pressure measurement without calibration. Acta Neurochir Suppl (Wien) 95:357–361

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Siaudvytyte L, Januleviciene I, Ragauskas A, Bartusis L, Siesky B, Harris A (2015) Update in intracranial pressure evaluation methods and translaminar pressure gradient role in glaucoma. Acta Ophthalmol 93:9–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stoupel E, Kalediene R, Petrauskiene J, Starkuviene S, Abramson E, Israelevich P, Sulkes J (2011) Twenty years study of solar, geomagnetic, cosmic ray activity links with monthly deaths number (n-850304). J Biomed Sci Eng 4:426–434

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Szczeklik A (2005) Catharsis: on the art of medicine. University of Chicago Press, Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  • Wystrychowski G, Wystrychowski W, Żukowska-Szczechowska E, Tomaszewski M, Grzeszczak W (2005) Selected climatic variables and blood pressure in central European patients with chronic renal failure on haemodialysis treatment. Blood Press 14:86–92

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The author thanks Patrycja Herbowska-Tytro for help in the English translation and final preparation of the paper in terms of lexis and grammar. Special thanks are due to Marcin Szkudlarek for technical help with the first figure’s preparation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurosurgery and Neurotraumatology Department, District Hospital, Arkonska 4, 71-455, Szczecin, Poland

    Leszek Herbowski

Authors
  1. Leszek Herbowski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Leszek Herbowski.

Ethics declarations

Funding

None.

Conflict of interest

The author declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Herbowski, L. The major influence of the atmosphere on intracranial pressure: an observational study. Int J Biometeorol 61, 181–188 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-016-1202-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-016-1202-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation