A Consideration of the Myth of the Lunar Effect on the Myocardial Infarction: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Introduction: In our medical center, we observed that myocardial infarction of proximal lesions occurs more frequently on some days and distal lesions occur more frequently on others. Along with this curiosity, our aim was to study whether the lunar cycle, location and distance from the Earth are related with the location of coronary occlusion, myocardial infarction type, and the shear force.
Materials and Methods: The movements of the lunar cycle day by day, hour by hour, and the Moon’s distance from the Earth, were calculated. These parameters were then compared with myocardial infarction subtypes and culprit lesion location.
Results: Culprit lesion location (the distance from the coronary artery ostium and the vertical/horizontal direction according to Earth’s gravity line) was not statistically significantly different according to the position of the Moon (p=0.32 and p=0.49). In the subgroup analysis, there was a statistically significant difference between the left anterior descending artery and the right coronary artery according to the Moon’s hourly movement (p=0.02).
Conclusion: In conclusion, our analysis found that there is no association between culprit lesion location and the mechanical effects of the lunar cycle. 

Keywords

• coronary occlusion
• moon
• myocardial infarction

Miyokard Enfarktüsü Üzerindeki Ay Etkisi Efsanesinin Değerlendirilmesi: Retrospektif Kohort Çalışması

Öz

Giriş: Merkezimizde, bazı günlerde proksimal lezyonlara bağlı bazı günlerde de distal lezyonlara bağlı myokard enfarktüsünün daha sık meydana geldiğini gözlemledik. Bu merakla birlikte, bu çalışmada ay döngüsünün, yerin ve Dünya'dan uzaklığın koroner oklüzyonun yeri, miyokard enfarktüsü tipi ve sürtünme kuvveti ile ilişkili olup olmadığının incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır.
Gereç ve Yöntemler: Ay döngüsünün hareketleri günden güne, saatten saate ve Ayın Dünya'dan uzaklığına göre hesaplandı. Bu parametreler daha sonra miyokard enfarktüsü alt tipleri ve sorumlu lezyon lokalizasyonu ile karşılaştırıldı.
Bulgular: Sorumlu lezyon yeri (koroner arter ostiumundan uzaklık ve Dünya'nın yerçekimi çizgisine göre dikey / yatay yön) Ayın konumuna göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı derecede farklı değildi (p=0,32 ve p=0,49). Alt grup analizinde, Ayın saatlik hareketine göre sol anterior inen arter ile sağ koroner arter arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir fark vardı (p=0,02).
Sonuç: Sonuç olarak, analizimiz sorumlu lezyonun lokalizasyonu ile ay döngüsünün mekanik etkileri arasında bir ilişki olmadığını göstermiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Ay
• koroner oklüzyon
• miyokard enfarktüsü

Kaynakça

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