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

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 ([Formula: see text]), total day- and nighttime [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text] , none or constant noise; [Formula: see text] , 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 [Formula: see text] (3.1) m/s; [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] (8.0) dB; [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] (8.1) dB; [Formula: see text] (99.7% exposed): 54.2 (10.6) dB; [Formula: see text] (179); [Formula: see text] (870); [Formula: see text] (27); and [Formula: see text] (40.3). We observed a 0.87% (95% CI: 0.31, 1.43%) increase in baPWV per IQR of [Formula: see text] , which was greater with [Formula: see text] or with daytime sleepiness. We observed a nonsignificant positive association between [Formula: see text] and baPWV in urban areas and a negative tendency in rural areas. [Formula: see text] , but not [Formula: see text] , 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