Is Community Noise Associated with Metabolic Control in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease?

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the association between community noise exposure and indicators of metabolic control (blood lipids and glucose) among Bulgarian patients with CVD. A representative cross-sectional sample (\(n = 217\)) was taken from three tertiary hospitals in the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. We collected blood samples, anthropometric measurements, and data on sociodemographics, lifestyle, medical conditions, and housing characteristics. A global noise annoyance (GNA) scale was constructed based on different residential noise annoyances. Day-evening-night (\(L_{\mathrm{den}})\) and nighttime (\(L_\mathrm{night})\) road traffic noise levels were determined in a subsample of 132 participants at their living room and bedroom facades, respectively, and further corrected to indoor levels, based on the window-opening frequency, orientation of rooms, and soundproofing insulation. Multilevel linear models were employed to study the effect of these noise indicators on participants’ lipid profile and blood glucose. The most consistent finding was for triglycerides, which increased significantly per one interquartile range increase in GNA (0.26 mmol/l, 95% CI 0.04, 0.47) and per 5 dB increase in outdoor \(L_\mathrm{den}\) (0.24 mmol/l, 95% CI 0.12, 0.35), indoor \(L_\mathrm{den}\) (0.18 mmol/l, 95% CI 0.08, 0.28), and indoor \(L_\mathrm{night}\) (0.08 mmol/l, 95% CI 0.001, 0.16). Outdoor (0.16 mmol/l, 95% CI 0.02, 0.29) and indoor (0.13 mmol/l, 95% CI 0.01, 0.25) \(L_\mathrm{den}\) were associated with an increase in LDL-cholesterol. In sensitivity analyses, we identified several effect modifiers of the relationship between noise and total cholesterol. To conclude, community noise exposure could be an important risk factor for unsatisfactory blood lipid control.