Exposure to Road, Railway, and Aircraft Noise and Arterial Stiffness in the SAPALDIA Study: Annual Average Noise Levels and Temporal Noise Characteristics

Abstract

Background:The impact of different transportation noise sources and noise environments on arterial stiffness remains unknown.Objectives:We evaluated the association between residential outdoor exposure to annual average road, railway, and aircraft noise levels, total noise intermittency (IR), and total number of noise events (NE) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) following a cross-sectional design.Methods:We measured baPWV (meters/second) in 2,775 participants (49–81 y old) at the second follow-up (2010–2011) of the Swiss Cohort Study on Air Pollution and Lung and Heart Diseases in Adults (SAPALDIA). We assigned annual average road, railway, and aircraft noise levels (Ldensource), total day- and nighttime NEtime and IRtime (percent fluctuation=0%, none or constant noise; percent fluctuation=100%, high fluctuation) at the most exposed façade using 2011 Swiss noise models. We applied multivariable linear mixed regression models to analyze associations.Results:Medians [interquartile ranges (IQRs)] were baPWV=13.4 (3.1) m/s; Ldenair (57.6% exposed)=32.8 (8.0) dB; Ldenrail (44.6% exposed)=30.0 (8.1) dB; Ldenroad (99.7% exposed): 54.2 (10.6) dB; NEnight=123 (179); NEday=433 (870); IRnight=73% (27); and IRday=63.8% (40.3). We observed a 0.87% (95% CI: 0.31, 1.43%) increase in baPWV per IQR of Ldenrail, which was greater with IRnight>80% or with daytime sleepiness. We observed a nonsignificant positive association between Ldenroad and baPWV in urban areas and a negative tendency in rural areas. NEnight, but not NEday, was associated with baPWV. Associations were independent of the other noise sources and air pollution.Conclusions:Long-term exposure to railway noise, particularly in an intermittent nighttime noise environment, and to nighttime noise events, mainly related to road noise, may affect arterial stiffness, a major determinant of cardiovascular disease. Ascertaining noise exposure characteristics beyond average noise levels may be relevant to better understand noise-related health effects. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1136

Validation of large scale noise exposure modelling by long-term measurements

“…This was in accordance with the most recent data sampling of the epidemiological dataset SAPALDIA, which also dated from that year and was used in the SiRENE study [10,12,13]. The validation measurements however were only performed in 2016.…”

“…Thereby the uncertainty, given as a standard deviation, was estimated from 3 to 5 dB depending on the traffic type. From 2013 to 2016 a research project called SiRENE (Short and long-term effects of Transportation Noise Exposure) was performed in Switzerland with several results on noise induced health effects, annoyance, and sleep quality already published [6,10,12,13,15,16,28,34]. In this paper, we present the results of a follow-up validation study of the exposure modelling within SiRENE based on longterm measurements.…”

Midregional pro atrial natriuretic peptide: a novel important biomarker for noise annoyance-induced cardiovascular morbidity and mortality?

“…However, mechanistic insight by which noise triggers detrimental effects on the cardiovascular system is still elusive. Recent human studies suggest that traffic noise exposure causes the release of stress hormones and inflammatory signaling molecules leading to oxidative stress and subsequent endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffening [9][10][11][12]. We have also demonstrated that noise annoyance is associated with a higher risk of prevalent atrial fibrillation, which was further accompanied by an increased trend of midregional pro atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP) plasma levels [13].…”

Acoustics and Biological Structures

“…Pericardial and cardiac valve thickening has also been confirmed through echocardiography studies in occupational settings (aircraft [37] and commercial-airline industries [38]), with thickness increasing with increasing exposure time. In residential settings, pericardial and valve thickening [39] and increased arterial stiffness [40] were observed in populations chronically exposed to military-training exercises [39], and transportation systems [40].…”