Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in context with the paradigm―month of birth and longevity

doi:10.4236/health.2011.312121

Paper Menu >>

Journal Menu >>

Vol.3, No.12, 732-736 (2011)

doi:10.4236/health.2011.312121

Health

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in context with the

paradigm―month of birth and longevity

Elyiahu Stoupel1,2*, Abdonas Tamoshiunas3, Richardas Radishauskas3, Gailute Bernotiene3,

Evgeny Abramson4, Peter Israelevich5

1Division of Cardiology, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tiqwa, Israel;

2Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; *Corresponding Author: stoupel@inter.net.il

3Institute of Cardiology, Lithuanian University of Medical Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania;

4Managing Information Center, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tiqwa, Israel;

5Department of Geophysics & Planetary Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.

Received 9 September 2011; revised 4 November 2011; accepted 16 November 2011.

ABSTRACT

Time and environmental physical activity are

involved in timing of many medical events. In a

recent study published by the National Acad-

emy of Science, US A it was sh o wn that mon th of

birth is related to longevity. The aim of this

study was to check the month of birth distribu-

tion in a great group of AMI patients of both

gender, one of the great killers in the developed

countries, to check the mentioned paradigm of

month of birth and longevity. Methods & Pa-

tients: Patients admitted to Cardiology Depart-

ment s of a tertiary University Hospital in Kaunas,

Lithuania w ith AMI at years 1990-2010 (n-22047)

were studied. Month of birth of these patients,

total and both gender were checked. Monthly,

quarterly and trimester comparison were done.

Statistical differences established using t-Stu-

dent test and distribution by percents of the

yearly months of birth. Results: It was a sig-

nificant difference in the month of birth of the

studied AMI population. January and first quar-

ter and trimester born patients w ere more often

in the studied AMI patients group. The higher

morbidity by Cardiovascular diseases can be a

significant ingredient in the structure of popula-

tion longevity. Possible mechanisms explaining

our findings are discussed. Conclusion: In the

AMI population people born in January, first

quarter or trimester of the year are dominating

in both gender groups. The results of this study

can be an additional confirmation of the para-

digm about links between month of birth and

longevity.

Keywords: Acute Myocardial Infarction; Month;

Birth; Men; Women; Solar; Geomagnetic; Cosmi c

Ray; Activity; Nutrition

1. INTRODUCTION

For a long time the yearly circle of the Earths dynam-

ics is divided in 12 parts of 30˚ named months. The first

calendars are assumed to appear at 4241 BC [1-3].

In the ancient world some figures or animals were

connected with time of the year, close to the Zodiac

symbols classification. Specific yearly parting were done

in Rome by Julius Caesar, Augustus and others, with

Gregorian (Vatican), Christian Orthodox and Muslim

and Jewish modification in their calendars. A yearly

calendar exist in China and a number of Buddhist Cul-

tures connected with some animals.

For a long time the individual human fate and it’s

specificities were linked with the month of birth, or Zo-

diac sign (close to monthly separation) at the time of

birth, a part of Astrology. Despite wide skepticism by

many thinkers about such connection, many periodicals

are regularly publishing Astrological data and predic-

tions.

S. Hawking and “black hole” assumption as a physical

beginning of time [4], the recent works showing the ori-

gin of Cosmic Ray (highest known form of energy in the

Universe ) with a close to our Galactic black hole radia-

tion (2007) [5,6] space for time understanding. A special

part of knowledge―Chronobiology is studying the

time―biology, health interrelationship [7-9].

In the year 2001, the Academy of Science of the USA.

published a study in the Annals of the Academy about

links between month of birth and longevity (inverse for

each Hemisphere) [10].

Cardiovascular disease is one of the big killers in the

developed countries (Industrial World) [11-13]. Some

inequalities can exist in the monthly number of births

E. Stoupel et al. / Health 3 (2011) 732-736

733733

[14].

The aim of this study was to check if some monthly

distribution exist in month of birth in patients suffering

Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) total and each gen-

ders as an additional pretext for the paradigm of month

of birth and longevity.

2. PATIENTS AND METHODS

23070 patients with AMI, admitted in the cardiology

departments of tertiary hospital, Lithuanian University

of Medical Sciences clinical base in Kaunas, Lithuania

at years 1990-2010 were studied. The AMI diagnosis

was made in accord to Guidelines using clinical, elec-

trocardiography, echocardiography and laboratory tests

[11-13]. At he beginning of the study it was established

that 1023 patients registration data not included month

of birth. These patients were excluded from the study

and we remained with 22,047 patients, 13,415 male

(60.84%) and 8632 female (39.16%).The monthly, quar-

ter and trimester of birth of the AMI patients were com-

pared and statistically significant differences between

these time intervals established. Significance of 95% and

higher between the compared parameters was accepted

as significant. For comparison with concomitant space

physical activity monthly data from centers in the USA,

Russia, Finland was used [15-19].

3. RESULTS

Table 1 presents the AMI according to their month of

birth. We can clearly see the differences of the monthly

distribution with bulging beginning of the year. Born in

January were the most frequent in total and each gender

calculation. The average for male patients was 1117 ±

193.89; median 1107.5, for January 1584. Difference

(467) more than two SD (387,78) above the average.

The same for female patients: January born-914. Aver-

age for all 12 months 719.3 ± 78.49; median-710. Dif-

ference between January and average of all 12 month

194.7, more than two SD (157.8) higher as the average.

Figure 1 presents the data separately for each gender.

Here also the form of distribution remain as for the total

group of patients.

Figure 2 presents the monthly birth distribution for

five age groups: up to 55; 55 - 69; 70 - 84 and 85 and

older. We can see that the analogical picture of monthly

distribution seen in the previous table and picture 1 is

repeated in all age groups.

Born in the first quarter, or trimester were more as in

the following four or three parts of the year. (P < 0.0001).

I-2148.667 ± 305.16; II-1891.667 ± 108.007; III-1739.33

± 70.87; IV-1569.33 ± 71.009 average monthly by quar-

ter of the year and I-2084.75 ± 280.04; II-1824.25

±128.08; III-1602.75 ± 88.4―by trimester.

Table 1. Monthly births of AMI patients, total and in 4 age

groups Kaunas, Lithuania, 1990-2010.

Month of BirthUp to 5555 - 6970 - 84 85 and more TotalPercent

January 4651141764128249811,3

February 40181960211219348,8

March 4258516399920149,1

April 4277895809718938,6

May 43988456810819999,1

June 4057965008217838,1

July 3907925548518218,3

August 3767644837116947,7

September 3567215537317037,7

October 31069449610116017,3

November 3046154957414886,7

December 3066645529716197,3

Total 460495306786112722047100,0

Figure 1. Monthly births of AMI patients (n-22047), Kaunas, Lithuania, 1990-2010.

E. Stoupel et al. / Health 3 (2011) 732-736

734

Figure 2. Monthly births of AMI patients both gender (n-22047), Kaunas, Lithuania,

1990-2010.

55 - 6970 - 84

Figure 3. Monthly births of AMI patients (n-22047) in four age groups, Kaunas, Lithunia,

1990-2010.

4. DISCUSSION

This is our second attempt to check the monthly birth

distribution of patients with acute cardiac events. The

first was made on Israeli patients undergoing Percuta-

neous Coronary Intervention (PCI) for AMI. The study

had some limitations:

Until 1950 people arriving to Israel (Palestine until

1948) were registered as born on January 1st. Of our

4732 patients 1154 were excluded from the study as born

at January 1st. This was replaced by the average of

births on January 2 - 31. Principally the result was simi-

lar-born in the first quarter―trimester were more, with

special prominence in March [20].

In this study, in different geographic location, but in

the Northern hemisphere, we get similar results.

What can be the explanation of the results?

1) It’s assumed that predisposition to cardiovascular

disease is in one quarter related to genetic factors [21,22],

one quarter to factors affecting the fetus at pregnancy

and a half―on environmental and day-to-day risk fac-

tors linked with lifestyle, working conditions, stress,

nutrition [23], accompanying pathologies (Lipid profile,

Diabetes mellitus, Renal failure, Hypothyroidism, etc.)

[23]. Newborn weight is also connected with environ-

mental physical conditions at the time of conception. So,

birth weight was inverse correlated with Carotid artery

intima thickness in middle age British men and woman

[24].

2) Newborn weight and length are also connected with

environmental physical conditions at the time of concep-

tion [24,25] are also signs predicting obesity, hyper-

tension and coronary problems in the future and serving

E. Stoupel et al. / Health 3 (2011) 732-736

735735

as risk factors for coronary artery disease in middle age

[25].

3) Such physical factors like Time, Solar, Geomag-

netic, Cosmic Ray (Neutron) activity are connected with

timing of distribution such pathologies like Down Syn-

drome [26], Congenital Heart Disease [27,28] some

forms of congenital failures [29], Cystic fibrosis [30] etc.

4) Solar and Geomagnetic fields are inverse related

and serving natural shields against Cosmic Ray (highest

known energies) (Neutron activity at the Earth surface in

imp/min counted) damaging effects on our Planet, but at

very high levels SA and GMA are also connected with

many human pathologies [30-35].

5) In a study about monthly number of newborns (n-

286.963) in the same as this study area it was not found

significant relationship between month of birth and

newborns number, that would explain major shifts in the

population according to month of birth and possibility to

be affected by a popular disease [36]. No significant

relationship in the number of monthly newborns and

yearly months 1 - 12 was found (r = –0.0039, p = 0.7, for

male, n = 148089; r = 0.03997, p = 0.699 for female, n =

138,830; 96 months data).

6) It’s shown that Cosmic Ray activity is inverse re-

lated to the SA 11-year cycle, but, relatively, not strong

variation from month to month [34,36,37].

The sun itself-a source of wave and corpuscular ef-

fects on the Earth is significantly changing monthly, and

not only yearly. The distance of the Sun is maximal at

July 4, minimal at January 3rd. Difference more than

5,000,000 km. Space corpuscular activity can change

human enzymes activity―a key mechanism in many

bioeffective structure synthesis in human body, including

mechanisms involved in Atherothrombosis risk and dy-

namics [38-40].

7) In addition to the reported in PNAS data about

month of birth (10) and longevity opposite results in the

two hemispheres of our Planet, it was published by a

group of experimental and laboratory scientists that

similar observations are made in rats [41,42].

Their findings the authors connect with differences in

Melatonin synthesis in rats at different months of the

year. Some role of the Geomagnetic and Solar cycle ef-

fects are also presumed.

The differences in Solar light intensity and Melatonin

production dependence by dark-light interplay can ex-

plain the differences in the hemispheres. Some observa-

tion are made on Serotonin (Melatonin precursor) car-

diovascular effects [43].

But this demands additional studies for explaining the

observed month of birth―AMI interrelationship and

possible influence on human longevity

5. CONCLUSIONS

1) Acute Myocardial Infarction patients are unequal

distributed by month of birth. In the Northern Hemi-

sphere they show a significant maximal January, first

quarter and trimester prevalence in comparison with fol-

lowing months quarters and trimesters of the year.

This was seen in patients of both gender.

2) The findings in the AMI cohort can be a supporting

fragment for the paradigm birth month and longevity.

3) Genetic, social and environmental factors can be

involved in the predisposition for coronary atherothrom-

bosis in persons born at the beginning of the year in the

Northern Hemisphere.

REFERENCES

[1] Priestley, J.B. (1964) Man & time. 1st Edition, Aidus

Books Limited, London.

[2] Von Franz, M.-L. (1978) Time rhythm and repose.

Thames & Hudson, 96.

[3] Kenton, W. (1978) Astrology. AVON Books (1974).

[4] Hawking, S.W. (1988) A brief history of time. Bantam

Books, Toronto.

[5] Sigl, G. (2001) Ultrahigh energy cosmic rays: Physics

and astro-physics at extreme energies. Science, 291, 73-

79. doi:10.1126/science.291.5501.73

[6] The Pierre Auger Collaboration (2007) Correlation of the

highest-energy cosmic rays with nearby extragalactic

objects. Science, 318, 938-943.

doi:10.1126/science.1151124

[7] Halberg, F., Cornelissen, G., Chen, C.H., Katinas, C.S.,

Watanabe, Y. and Otsuka, K. (2000) Chronobiology: The

time structures, chronomes gauge, aging, disease risk and

the cosmos. Journal of Anti-Aging Medicine, 3, 67-69.

doi:10.1089/rej.1.2000.3.67

[8] BeMont, C. (2000) Chronobiology: The rhythm method

for overall health Rx.Magazine.

http://magazine.tripod,com/ah-20001218.htm

[9] Stoupel, E., Petrauskiene, J., Gabbay, U., Kalediene, R.,

Abramson, E. and Sulkes, J. (2001) Circannual rhyth-

micity in deaths distribution. Acta Medica Lituanica, 6,

37-42.

[10] Doblhammer, G. and Vaupel, J.W. (2001) Lifespan de-

pends on month of birth. Proceedings of the National

Academy of Science, 98, 2934-2939.

doi:10.1073/pnas.041431898

[11] Acute Myocardial İnfarction, ICD code I21. International

Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD) and Related

Health Problems 10th Revision, Version for 2007, World

Health Organization, Chapter IX, Geneva.

[12] Thigesen, K. and Alpert, J.S. (2007) White HD on behalf

the ESC/ACCF/AHA/WHF task force universal―defi-

nition of myocardial infarction. Circulation, 116, 2634-

2653. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.187397

[13] Wikipedia (2010) List of causes of death by rate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.1-5

[14] Realm of Randomness (2007) Are birthdays evenly dis-

tributed across the year? World Press.

E. Stoupel et al. / Health 3 (2011) 732-736

736

[15] SESC Glossary of Solar-Terrestrial Terms (1988, revised

1992) NOAA-USAF, Space Environment Services Cen-

ter, Boulder.

[16] Solar Indices Bulletin (monthly) NOAA. National Geo-

physocal Data Center. Boulder, Co, Boulder.

[17] NOAA, SWPC, US AF Preliminary Report and Forecast

of Solar Geophysical Data (Weekly) Boulder, Co, Boul-

der.

[18] Moscow Neutron Monitoring Station. IZMIRAN Insti-

tute. Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow.

[19] Oulu University. Neutron Monitorig Data. Daily, Monthly.

Oulu. Finland.

[20] Stoupel, E., Abramson, E., Israelevich, P. and Sulkes, J.

(2011) Monthly births distribution in patients with ath-

eroth-rombosis related Acute Coronary Events-(ACS)

treated by Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI).

Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharma-

cology, 23, 43-47

[21] (2010) Genetic signatures of human exceptional longev-

ity discovered science.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/10070114

5521.htm

[22] Science News. Longevity tied to genes that preserve tips

of chromosomes.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/200911/091/11200

225.htm

[23] American Heart Association (2010) AHA scientific posi-

tion. Risk factors and coronary artery disease.

americanheart. org/presenter. jhtml?ide.

[24] Merlob, P., Raisner, S.H., Shimshoni, M. and Stoupel, E.

(1989) Foetal growth in extreme periods of solar activity

in the 21-22 solar cycles. Journal of Foetal Medicine, 9,

1-2:1-5.

[25] Lawlor, D.A., Davey, S.G., Wincup, P., Wannamethee, G.,

et al. (2003) Association between offspring birth weight

and atherosclerosis in middle aged British men and

woman: British regional heart study. Journal of Epidemi-

ology & Community Health, 57, 462-463.

doi:10.1136/jech.57.6.462

[26] Stoupel, E., Frimer, H., Appelman, Z., Ben-Neriah, Z.,

Dar, H., Fejgin, M.D., Gershoni, B.R., Manor, E., Barkai,

G., Halevy, S., Gelman-Kohan, Z., Reish, O., Lev, D.,

Davidov, B., Goldman, B. and Shohat, M. (2005) Chro-

mosome aberration and environmental physical activity:

Down syndrome and solar and cosmic ray activity. Israel,

1990-2000. International Journal of Biometeorology, 26,

1-9. doi:10.1007/s00484-005-0274-2

[27] Stoupel, E., Birk, E., Kogan, A., Klinger, G., Abramson,

E., Israelevich, P., Sulkes, J. and Linder, N. (2009) Con-

genital heart disease: Correlation with fluctuation in

cosmophysical activity Intern. Journal of Cardiology,

135, 207-210

[28] Stoupel, E., Dulskiene, V., Kuciene, R., Abramson, E., Is-

raelevich, P. and Sulkes, J. Congenital heart disease and

congenital heart disease and environmental physical activity-

kaunas data, 1995-2005. Sun and Geosphere, 4, 45-49.

[29] Archer, V.E. (1979) Anencephalus, drinking water, geo-

magnetism and cosmic radiation. American Journal of

Epidemiology, 109, 88-97.

[30] Brackenridge, C.J. and Miller, J.R. (2001) Bimodal month of

birth distribution in cystic fibrosis. American Journal of

Medical Genetics, 5, 295-301.

doi:10.1002/ajmg.1320050312

[31] Stoupel, E. (2008) Atherothrombosis-environmental links.

Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharma-

cology, 19, 37-45. doi:10.1515/JBCPP.2008.19.1.37

[32] Stoupel, E., Domarkiene, S., Radishauskas, R., Bernotiene,

G., Abramson, E., Israelevich, P. and Sulkes, J. (2004)

Links between monthly rates of four subtypes of acute

myocardial infarction and their corresponding cosmo-

physical activity parameters. Journal of Basic and Clini-

cal Physiology and Pharmacology, 15, 175-184.

doi:10.1515/JBCPP.2004.15.3-4.175

[33] Stoupel, E., Babayev, E., Mustafa, F., Abramson, E., Is-

raelevich, P. and Sulkes, J. (2007) Acute myocardial in-

farction occurrence: Environmental links. Medical Sci-

ence Monitor, 13, 175-179

[34] Stoupel, E., Tamoshiunas, A., Radishauskas, R., Berno-

tiene, G., Abramson, E. and Israelevich, P. (2011) Clin &

exper cardiology neutrons and the plaque: AMI (n-8920)

at days of zero GMA/high neutron activity (n-36) and the

following days, Kaunas, Lithuania, 2000-2007. Experi-

mental & Clinical Cardiology, 2, 1-4.

[35] Cornelissen, G., Maggioni, C. and Halberg, F. (2002) Is a

birth-dependence of human longevity influenced by half-

yearly changes in geomagnetics? Kola Science Center.

[36] Stoupel, E., Kalediene, R., Petrauskiene, J., Gaiz-

hauskiene, A., Israelevicxh, P., Abramson, E. and Sulkes,

J. (2006) Monthly number of newborns and environ-

mental physical activity. Medici na, 42, 238-241.

[37] Usoskin, I.G., Alanko-Huotari, K., Kovaltsov, G.A. and

Mursula, K. (2005) Heliospheric modulation of cosmic

rays: Monthly reconstruction for 1951-2004. Journal of

Geophysical Research, 110, A12108.

doi:10.1029/2005JA011250.

[38] Wikipedia Sunlight.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunlight//

[39] Kirby, A.J. and Hollffelder, F. (2008) Enzymes under the

nanoscope. Nature, 456, 45-47. doi:10.1038/456045a

[40] Feelisch, M., Kolb-Bachofen, V., Liu, D., Lundsberg,

J.O., Rovedo, L.P., Suschek, C.V. and Weller, R.B. (2010)

Is sunlight good for the heart. European Heart Journal,

31, 1041-10

[41] Bartsch, H., Bartsch, Ch., Mecke, D. and Lippert, T.T.

(1994) Seasonality-pineal melatonin production in the rat.

Possible synchronization by the geomagnetic field. Chro-

nobiology International, 11, 21-26.

doi:10.3109/07420529409057227

[42] Bartsch, H., Kupper, H., Scheurlen, U., Deerberg, F.D.,

Seebald, E., Dietz, K., Mecke, D., Probst, H., Stehle, T.

and Bartsch, Ch. (2010) Effect to a chronic exposure to a

GSM-like signal (mobile phone) on survival of female

Sprague Dawley rats: Modulatory effects by month of

birth and possibly stage of the solar cycle. Neuroendo-

crinogy Letters, 31, 457-473.

[43] Saxena, P.R., Wallis, D.I., Woulters, W. and Bevan, P. (1990)

Cardiovascular pharmacology of 5-hydroxytryptamine.

Kluver Academic Publishers, Dordrecht.