Association of meteorological factors with allergic rhinitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background Associations of meteorological factors with allergic rhinitis (AR) have been examined in numerous prior research works, yet conclusions regarding these correlations remain inconsistent. Methods Eligible articles were identified from PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase databases by December 1, 2025. Five factors were analyzed: temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, atmospheric pressure, and wind speed. Random-effect models calculated pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Subgroup and sensitivity analysis explored heterogeneity, while publication bias was evaluated. Results Twenty-two observational studies involving 5,218,796 participants were included. For temperature, a 1 ℃ increase corresponded to a 14% elevated AR risk [OR (95%CI) = 1.14 (1.03–1.25)], whereas subgroup analyses uncovered more significant associations in temperate zones, high-quality studies and medical record-based outcomes. For humidity, a 1% increase in relative humidity was correlated with a 4% reduced AR risk [OR (95%CI) = 0.96 (0.94–0.99)], with more pronounced protective effects in subtropical regions, middle-income countries and medical record-based outcomes. A 10 mm increase in precipitation was correlated with an 18% higher AR risk [OR (95%CI) = 1.18 (1.01–1.38)], though sensitivity analysis indicated the results were influenced by individual studies. There were no significant links between atmospheric pressure, wind speed and AR (P > 0.05). Additionally, no obvious publication bias was detected in this study. Conclusions Temperature and precipitation may increase the risk of AR, while humidity has a protective effect, with the effects varying across climate zones, income levels, study quality and outcome type.