Impact of Meteorological Conditions on the Onset of First Episod of Spontaneous Pneumothorax : a French Multicenter Case-crosserover Study About 945 Subjects in 14 Centers

The aim of this study is to analyse the relation between onset of the PSP and exposure to environmental factors such as atmospheric pressure.

A case-crossover epidemiological study will be conducted in 14 French hospitals. SP recorded from 2009 to 2013 will be exhaustively included. Demographic and clinical characteristics will be collected. For each incident case of SP, the period of occurrence of the event (case period) will be compared to several other periods temporally distant from the case period (control periods prior to and after the event). Exposure will be assessed using meteorological stations localized in the vicinity of each patient's home. A potential threshold effect and/or time lag effect between exposure and admission for SP will be explored.

The results of this study will help to identify the meteorological factors associated with the occurrence of SP, and to deepen our knowledge of the pathophysiological mechanisms of SP especially the influence of meteorological factors on bleb rupture.