title: Associations between traffic noise, particulate air pollution, hypertension, and isolated systolic hypertension in adults: the KORA study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies on the association between traffic noise and cardiovascular diseases have rarely considered air pollution as a covariate in the analyses. Isolated systolic hypertension has not yet been in the focus of epidemiological noise research.
  
  
  METHODS
  The association between traffic noise (road and rail) and the prevalence of hypertension was assessed in two study populations with a total of 4,166 participants 25-74 years of age. Traffic noise (weighted day-night average noise level; LDN) at the facade of the dwellings was derived from noise maps. Annual average PM2.5 mass concentrations at residential addresses were estimated by land-use regression. Hypertension was assessed by blood pressure readings, self-reported doctor-diagnosed hypertension, and antihypertensive drug intake.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the Greater Augsburg, Germany, study population, traffic noise and air pollution were not associated with hypertension. In the City of Augsburg population (n = 1,893), where the exposure assessment was more detailed, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for a 10-dB(A) increase in noise was 1.16 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.35), and 1.11 (95% CI: 0.94, 1.30) after additional adjustment for PM2.5. The adjusted OR for a 1-μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 was 1.15 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.30), and 1.11 (95% CI: 0.98, 1.27) after additional adjustment for noise. For isolated systolic hypertension, the fully adjusted OR for noise was 1.43 (95% CI: 1.10, 1.86) and for PM2.5 was 1.08 (95% CI: 0.87, 1.34).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Traffic noise and PM2.5 were both associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension. Mutually adjusted associations with hypertension were positive but no longer statistically significant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Hygiene, Federal Environment Agency, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Babisch
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petz
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heinrich
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cyrys
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peters
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects*; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000633:toxicity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D052638:Particulate Matter