Association between Noise Pollution and Prevalent Ischemic Heart Disease.

BACKGROUND

Noise pollution is considered a risk factor for ischemic heart disease (IHD). Both are highly prevalent in Bulgaria, but their association has not been studied sufficiently.

AIM

The aim of the present study was to examine the risk of IHD associated with road traffic (Lden) and lifetime occupational noise exposure (LONE) in a Bulgarian sample.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 513 residents of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. A questionnaire asked about doctor-diagnosed IHD, LONE and confounding factors. Lden was derived from official noise map after geocoding participants' addresses. In log-link Poisson regressions we investigated the relative risks of prevalent IHD. Sensitivity analyses examined subgroup differences.

RESULTS

Lden ≥ 65 dB was associated with higher risk (RR=1.84, 95% CI: 0.61, 5.57) of IHD in long-term residents (≥ 20 years). LONE was associated with RR=1.76 (0.82, 3.78) for ever-exposed; and RR=2.35 (1.00, 5.52) for 15 - 47 years exposure.

CONCLUSIONS

Exposure to Lden≥65 dB was associated with non-significantly higher risk of IHD. Longer LONE was consistently associated with higher risk. In some subgroups the effect of noise was more pronounced.