Hartmut Ising

Traffic noise and risk of myocardial infarction.

Background: The biologic plausibility for noise stress-related cardiovascular responses is well established. Epidemiologic studies on the relationship between transportation noise and ischemic heart disease suggest a higher risk of myocardial infarction in subjects exposed to high levels of traffic noise. Methods: To determine the risk of road traffic noise for the incidence of myocardial infarction (MI), we carried out a hospital-based case-control study in the city of Berlin. We enrolled consecutive patients (n = 1881), age 20–69 years, with confirmed diagnosis of MI from 1998 through 2001. Controls (n = 2234) were matched according to sex, age, and hospital. Outdoor traffic noise level was determined for each study subject based on noise maps of the city. Standardized interviews were conducted to assess possible confounding factors and the annoyance from various noise sources. Results: The adjusted odds ratio for men exposed to sound levels of more than 70 dB(A) during the day was 1.3 (95% confidence interval = 0.88–1.8) compared with those where the sound level did not exceed 60 dB(A). In the subsample of men who lived for at least 10 years at their present address, the odds ratio was 1.8 (1.0–3.2). Noise-exposed women were not at higher risk. Conclusions: The results support the hypothesis that chronic exposure to high levels of traffic noise increases the risk for cardiovascular diseases.

Increased catecholamine levels in urine in subjects exposed to road traffic noise: The role of stress hormones in noise research

The nocturnal excretion of catecholamines in urine was studied in 30-45-year-old women whose bedroom and/or living room were facing streets of varying traffic volume. The traffic volume of the streets was used as an indicator of noise exposure; adrenaline and noradrenaline concentrations were assessed as indicators of the outcome of the physiological stress. Significant associations between traffic volume and noradrenaline concentrations in urine were found with regard to the exposure of the bedroom (not the living room), indicating a higher chronic physiological arousal in noise-exposed subjects as compared to less exposed. Subjective measures of disturbance due to traffic noise were positively correlated with the noradrenaline level. However, this was only found in subjects where closing the window could not reduce the perceived disturbance, which points to the effectiveness of individual coping mechanisms. Stress hormones are useful indicators to study associations, mechanisms, and interactions between noise, health outcomes, and effect modifiers in epidemiological noise research.

TRAFFIC NOISE AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK: THE CAERPHILLY AND SPEEDWELL STUDIES, THIRD PHASE--10 YEAR FOLLOW UP

The authors tested the hypothesis that prolonged exposure to road traffic noise causes ischemic heart disease in a 10-y follow-up cohort study of middle-aged men. In the Caerphilly and Speedwell studies, 2512 and 2348 men, respectively, who were 45-59 y of age were seen in the initial cross-sectional phase and at follow-up intervals of 10 y. Adjusted odds ratios of 1.1 (95% confidence interval = 0.6, 1.9) and 0.9 (95% confidence interval = 0.6, 1.4) were found in the total cohorts. However, the relative risk was 1.3 (95% confidence interval = 0.8, 2.2) in the pooled reconstructed cohort of men who were followed for 6 y (i.e., from phase 2 to phase 3) and for whom room orientation and window-opening habits could be considered. Furthermore, the relative risk increased to 1.6 (95% confidence interval = 0.9, 3.0) in the subsample of men who had lived at least 15 y in their present homes at the time of recruitment. Living adjacent to streets with high traffic noise levels was associated with an adjusted (for covariates) increase in relative risk of 1.01-1.02/y in residence--a result that was only borderline significant (p < .10).

Health status as a potential effect modifier of the relation between noise annoyance and incidence of ischaemic heart disease

Aims: Traffic noise is a psychosocial stressor. Epidemiological studies suggest chronic noise stress to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disorders. Methods: In a prospective cohort study, the association between annoyance and disturbances due to road traffic noise and the incidence of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) was studied in 3950 middle aged men. Results: Depending on the questionnaire item, non-significant odds ratios for IHD incidence ranging from 0.9 to 1.4 were found for the highly noise annoyed/disturbed subjects when compared with the less annoyed/disturbed subjects, over the six year follow up period. However, this relation was strongly modified by the prevalence of pre-existing chronic diseases. In subjects free of any chronic disease at the beginning of the follow up, significant odds ratios between 1.7 and 3.0 were seen. In the subgroup with chronic diseases no such noise effects were seen. This surprising result of no effect in the group of people with a potential risk, due to pre-existing health problems, may be because of the dilution of the true effect due to recall bias. Conclusions: Annoyance and disturbance due to road traffic noise is associated with a higher incidence of IHD. Prevalence of disease can be an important effect modifier of the relation between noise annoyance and health outcomes.

Traffic Noise and Cardiovascular Risk. The Caerphilly Study, First Phase. Outdoor Noise Levels and Risk Factors

As part of the Caerphilly study, traffic noise exposure and risk for ischemic heart disease (IHD) were studied in a sample of 2,512 men aged 45-59 yr. The traffic noise emission level ranged between Leq = 51-70 dB(A) (6-22 hr, 10 min). No association was found between traffic noise and prevalence of IHD. Associations were found between noise and potential IHD risk factors including systolic blood pressure, oestradiol, total cholesterol, plasma viscosity, antithrombin III (increases), cortisol, and platelet count (decrease). Not all results supported the hypothesis that traffic noise increases the risk for IHD. The possibility of confounding cannot be excluded, although an extensive range of potential confounding variables were included in the analysis.

Gehörschäden durch Freizeitlärm

ZusammenfassungLärm gefährdet die Gesundheit. Heute muß festgestellt werden, daß eine erhebliche Gefährdung durch Freizeitlärm, insbesondere bei Kindern, Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen, besteht. Epidemiologische Untersuchungen an Jugendlichen, die noch keiner beruflichen Lärmbelastung ausgesetzt waren, lassen steigende Zahlen mit nachweisbaren, irreversiblen Innenohrschäden erkennen. Als wesentliche Ursachen werden die weite Verbreitung sehr lauter Kinderspielzeuge (Pistolen, Knackfrosch), Feuerwerkskörper sowie die heute ubiquitäre Verfügbarkeit elektroakustischer Verstärkung für Musik, z.B. mittels tragbarer Abspielgeräte, in Diskotheken oder in Musik-Großveranstaltungen angesehen. Der Schutz vor einer medizinisch unheilbaren Gehörschädigung durch Freizeitlärm ist daher eine wichtige Aufgabe der Präventivmedizin. Durch Aufklärungsmaßnahmen sollte auf die Gefahren der Gehörgefährdung durch laute Freizeitbeschäftigungen aufmerksam gemacht werden. Zum Schutz von Kindern und Jugendlichen, aber auch von Erwachsenen ist der Gesetzgeber gefordert, Möglichkeiten von Schallpegelbegrenzungen für Diskotheken, Konzerte und Musikabspielgeräte zu prüfen und entsprechende Richtwerte in Normen oder Richtlinien zu verankern.SummaryAlthough noise in general can induce hearing loss, environmental noise represents an important risk for children, teenagers and young adults. Epidemiological investigations now support the occurrence of an increasing number of irreversible hearing losses in these groups. Major causes of hearing loss are toys (guns), explosives and electroacoustically amplified music delivered by head sets or heard in discotheques and open air concerts. Clinical indications are discussed.

Traffic Noise and Cardiovascular Risk: The Caerphilly and Speedwell Studies, Second Phase. Risk Estimation, Prevalence, and Incidence of Ischemic Heart Disease

As part of the Caerphilly and the Speedwell collaborative heart disease studies, associations between outdoor traffic noise level, risk factors for ischemic heart disease, and prevalence and incidence of ischemic heart disease were studied in two samples of 2,512 and 2,348 men, respectively, who were 45-63 y of age. Compared with the lowest noise category [Leq,6-22 h = 51-55 dB(A)], the subjects in the highest noise category [Leq,6-22 = 66-70 dB(A)] showed a slightly worse risk factor profile with respect to 9 identified endogenous risk factors. Logistic regression analysis suggested a marginal increase in risk (relative risk = 1.1) for ischemic heart disease incidence for these men based on risk factors. The prevalence of ischemic heart disease was slightly higher (relative risk = 1.2) in this noise group. The observed incidence of major ischemic heart disease within an observation period of approximately 4 y was slightly lower (relative risk = 0.8) for men in the highest noise group.

The incidence of myocardial infarction and its relation to road traffic noise— the Berlin case-control studies

Abstract The hypothesis that prolonged exposure to road traffic noise causes ischaemic heart disease (IHD) was tested in two case-control studies including a cross-sectional study of middle-aged men. In the Berlin traffic noise studies, comprising a prestudy and a main study, interviews were conducted with 109 and 645 male patients (survivers) with acute myocardial infarction (MI) and 134 and 3390 controls, respectively, residing in Berlin for at least 15 y. The subjects were aged from 41–70 y. The odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of IHD incidence was 1.3 (0.5–3.8) in the pre- and 1.2 (0.8–1.7) in the main study for men in the highest noise category (71–80 dB (A)) as compared to the lowest noise category (51–60 dB (A)) after adjustment for potentially confounding factors. In a subsample of men who had not moved within the past 15 y, the odds ratio was 1.2 (0.3–4.1) in the pre- and 1.3 (0.9–2.0) in the main study, the latter borderline significant (p

Traffic noise, work noise and cardiovascular risk factors: The Caerphilly and Speedwell collaborative heart disease studies

Abstract As part of two large heart surveys, associations between traffic noise exposure and cardiovascular risk factors were studied. The Caerphilly sample (small town, total sample) consisted of 2512 men aged 45 to 59 years and the Speedwell sample (suburb of a major city, random sample) of 2030 men of same age group. Both studies have a prospective design; cross-sectional results are presented here. Acoustic measurements were carried out in both areas. Among the possible risk factors for ischaemic heart disease studied were blood pressure, blood coagulation, blood lipids and other biochemical factors. Statistically significant noise effects were detected for systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, total triglycerides, blood viscosity, platelet count and glucose level, although not all of these were consistent with noise being a risk factor for heart disease. In a subsample, the additional influence of work noise as determined by noise dosimetry was studied in 255 men, taking the use of ear protection into account. The associations between traffic noise and risk factors were more pronounced in men who also were exposed to high work noise levels.

Medically relevant effects of noise from military low-altitude flights ― results of an interdisciplinary pilot study

Abstract Laboratory experiments and field measurements were carried out to determine relevant acute and long term effects of noise from low-flying military aircraft. Acute effects on the cardiovascular system were established under simulation conditions. Blood pressure, heart rate, and biochemical stress parameters (cortisol and catecholamines, renin and free fatty acids in blood) were measured as a function of time. Long-term effects of noise from low-flying aircraft were analyzed in 10 to 13-year-old children by comparative studies including a 75 m low-altitude flight area and a neighbouring area with flight altitudes of 150–450 m. Significantly higher blood pressure values were found in girls in the 75 m area. The hearing thresholds were significantly increased in boys and girls in the 75 m area. Altogether, acute effects of noise from low-flying aircraft on cardiovascular functions and hearing ability could be proved, and potential risks of long-term exposure to low-altitude flight noise are discussed.