Chronobiology of Vascular Disorders: a “Seasonal” Link between Arterial and Venous Thrombotic Diseases?

Review article

Chronobiology of Vascular Disorders: a “Seasonal” Link between Arterial and Venous Thrombotic Diseases?

Roberto Manfredini ¹, Fabio Manfredini ², Anna Maria Malagoni ², Benedetta Boari ³, Raffaella Salmi ³, Francesco Dentali ⁴ and Walter Ageno ⁴
Affiliations: ¹Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section Clinica Medica, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy; ²Vascular Diseases Center, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy; ³Department of Internal Medicine, S Anna General Hospital of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy and ⁴Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy


ABSTRACT

Rhythmic patterns have been observed in most biological functions, and oscillations with a peak and trough have been demonstrated for many bodily functions, including arterial blood pressure, heart rate, vascular tone, coagulation, and fibrinolysis. Depending on cycle length, these oscillations can be circadian, ultradian, circannual, or seasonal. In recent decades, many studies have investigated the possibility of seasonal variations in several diseases, especially in the cardiovascular system and specifically in some arterial and venous diseases. Traditionally, the two vascular beds have been considered as separate entities, each characterized by its own risk factors and diseases. Recently, however, a series of findings has revealed analogs between these two entities that are also supported by chronobiological findings. The latest findings about seasonal variations in major arterial and venous diseases and possible common underlying risk factors are presented and discussed here.

Keywords: Chronobiology, seasons, acute myocardial infarction, stroke, aortic diseases, venous thromboembolism, pulmonary embolism
Correspondence: Roberto Manfredini, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section Clinica Medica, University of Ferrara, Via Savonarola 9, 44100 Ferrara, Italy. Tel: (39)‐0532‐236817; Fax: (39)‐0532‐236816; e‐mail: mfr@unife.it