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Aircraft Noise can Damage the Heart

Aircraft Noise can Damage the Heart

by Dr. Hena Mariam on Feb 17 2023 5:16 PM
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Highlights:
  • Ischemic heart disease is a major cause of death all over the world
  • A new animal study shows that exposure to high noise can increase inflammation and can make ischemic heart disease worse
  • The results of the study suggest that reducing environmental noise exposure will be helpful in improving people with heart disease
Traffic noise may play a significant role in the development and progression of ischemic heart disease. Researchers from the Cardiology Department at the University Medical Center Mainz discovered that noise exposure (average sound pressure level 72 dB; peak level 85 dB) up to 4d resulted in pro-inflammatory aortic gene expression in mice.

Effect of Noise on the Heart

Noise caused adhesion and infiltration of inflammatory cells in the heart tissue. This was paralleled by an increased percentage of leukocytes with a pro-inflammatory, reactive oxygen species (ROS)-producing phenotype and expression of phagocytic NADPH (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate) oxidase/phospho-NFκB in peripheral blood.
The group used the permanent LAD (Left Anterior Descending Artery) ligation model to induce myocardial infarction and worsening of cardiac function. Noise exposure before myocardial infarction (MI) induced more severe endothelial dysfunction and more pronounced increases in vascular ROS and signs of inflammation in animals preconditioned with noise.

Participants of the population-based Gutenberg Health Cohort Study where the median follow-up 11.4 years with incident MI revealed elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) at baseline and worse LVEF after MI in case of a history of noise exposure and subsequent development of noise annoyance. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is the central measure of left ventricular systolic function. An ejection fraction below 40 percent means the heart is not pumping enough blood and may be failing. A low ejection fraction number can be an indicator of heart failure.

The lead and senior authors, Michael Molitor and Philip Wenzel commented: “We learned from our studies that aircraft noise exposure before MI substantially amplifies subsequent cardiovascular inflammation and aggravates ischemic heart failure, facilitated by pro-inflammatory vascular conditioning. Our translational results show that humans that had noise exposure in the past will have a worse outcome if they have an acute MI later in life.”

Transportation Noise may be a Risk Factor for Heart Disease

This is the first time that a translational study has been performed to investigate the effects of aircraft noise on acute myocardial infarction. In experimental animals and humans, aircraft noise markedly exaggerated the consequences of ischemia (left ventricular function, inflammation, and oxidative stress) in response to an acute myocardial infarction. There is no doubt anymore that transportation noise must be considered an important cardiovascular risk factor, comparable to hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, smoking, and diabetes mellitus.

The results of the study suggest, that measures to reduce environmental noise exposure will be helpful in improving the clinical outcome of subjects with MI.

Reference:
  1. Aircraft noise exposure induces pro-inflammatory vascular conditioning and amplifies vascular dysfunction and impairment of cardiac function after myocardial infarction - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36702626/)


Source-Medindia


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