Lunar cycle, seasonal variation, and prevalence of emergency urological presentations: correlation or coincidence?—A preliminary report

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to conduct a pilot study to determine the prevalence and patterns of emergency urological presentations and to evaluate their relationship with the lunar cycle and seasonal variation. METHODS: Medical records of subjects that presented with urological pathology to the Emergency Department during the 2017 calendar year were retrospectively reviewed. The data extracted included demographic details, date and day of presentation, presenting complaints, investigations, radiological findings, and final diagnosis. Associations between emergent presentations and the lunar phase and seasonal variation were determined. RESULTS: A total of 199 subjects were enrolled. The median participant age was 49 (interquartile range 31–64) years with the majority (n = 136, 68.3%) being male. Cystitis (n = 55, 27.6%), prostate cancer (n = 30, 15.1%), benign prostatic hypertrophy (n = 29, 14.6%), and urolithiasis (n = 29, 14.6%) were the most common clinical diagnosis. There were 96 (48.2%) patients who presented during the waxing moon phase, whereas 85 (42.7%) presented during the waning moon phase, 11 (5.6%) presented on the day of full moon, and 7 (3.5%) patients presented on the day of the new moon. Most patients presented during the summer months (n = 61, 30.7%). There was no significant association between the lunar cycle and emergent urological presentations (p = 0.99). CONCLUSION: In this pilot study, there was no significant association between the lunar cycle and emergent urological presentations. However, during the summer months more urology-related emergency presentations to the Emergency Department were observed.