Impact of temperature and humidity on performance of the fecal immunochemical test for advanced colorectal neoplasia

Abstract

Although it is known that ambient temperature can affect the diagnostic performance of the fecal immunochemical test (FIT), the impact of other weather parameters, including humidity, on the sensitivity of FIT remains to be further investigated. We aimed to evaluate the impact of ambient temperature and humidity on the performance of FIT for screening for advanced colorectal neoplasia (ACRN). We included asymptomatic individuals who had undergone both screening colonoscopy and FIT. The diagnostic performance of FIT, including its sensitivity, was analyzed according to the ambient temperature and humidity on the day that FIT was performed. Temperature and humidity were divided into five levels. Among 35,461 participants, 589 (1.7%) had ACRN. The positivity rate of FIT was lower at ≥24 °C (3.1%) than at <0 °C (3.9%), 0–8 °C (4.3%), and 8–16 °C (3.9%). It was also lower at 80–90% humidity (3.1%) than at < 60% humidity (3.9%). Multivariable analysis showed that high ambient temperature (≥24 °C) with high ambient humidity (≥80%) was associated with a low positivity rate of FIT (odds ratio [OR] 0.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.44–0.86). Sensitivity tended to decrease at high ambient temperature (<24 °C vs. ≥24 °C; 20.8% vs. 14.6%, P = 0.110) and was significantly lower at high ambient humidity (<80% vs. ≥80%; 21.0% vs. 12.5%, P = 0.044). The multivariable analysis also showed that high ambient humidity was independently associated with low sensitivity of FIT (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.28–0.96). In conclusion, high ambient humidity decreased the sensitivity, while high ambient temperature along with high ambient humidity decreased the positivity rate of FIT.