Perioperative medicine & outcomes
Association between extreme weather events and postoperative adverse outcomes: a systematic review
Authors' conclusion
Our review revealed major research gaps in the impact of extreme weather events on postoperative outcomes and health care delivery.
Study context
- Population
- Surgical patients exposed to an extreme weather event 30 days pre- or postoperatively
- Participants
- 117,804 patients · 4 studies
- Comparison
- Exposure to extreme weather events within 30 days pre- or postoperatively
- Outcome
- Postoperative adverse outcomes
- Follow-up
- Within 30 days after surgery
Methodological detailsthematic analysis, two independent reviewers, Studies limited by heterogenous definitions of exposure, confounding, and bias
- Thematic analysis
- Two independent reviewers
- Studies limited by heterogenous definitions of exposure, confounding, and bias
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
- Temperatures > 40 °C linked to increased perioperative complications in trauma patients (1 study)
- Temperatures > 30 °C linked to increased hospital LOS in patients older than 60 yr (1 study)
- Wildfire smoke linked to respiratory complications in pediatric patients with prematurity or respiratory conditions (1 study)
- 3 studies on heatwave or extreme heat, 1 on wildfire smoke
- Retrospective studies
Further pooled results
Health care delivery domains affected (thematic analysis)
- Patients (3 studies)
- Care processes and infrastructure (2 studies)
- Capacity (2 studies)
Original publication
Association between extreme weather events and postoperative adverse outcomes: a systematic review. Can J Anaesth. Published 6 January 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →