TY - JOUR
T1 - Health effects of chronic noise exposure in pregnancy and childhood: A systematic review initiated by ENRIECO
AU - Hohmann, Cynthia
AU - Grabenhenrich, Linus
AU - de Kluizenaar, Yvonne
AU - Tischer, Christina
AU - Heinrich, Joachim
AU - Chen, Chih-Mei
AU - Thijs, Carel
AU - Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark
AU - Keil, Thomas
PY - 2013/6
Y1 - 2013/6
N2 - Background: Chronic noise is an environmental pollutant and well-known to cause annoyance and sleep disturbance. Its association with clinical and subclinical adverse health effects has been discussed. Objectives: This systematic review aimed to examine associations between chronic noise exposure during pregnancy or childhood and health outcomes in early and late childhood. Methods: Following a systematic electronic literature search (MEDLINE, EMBASE), an additional hand search and a critical evaluation of potential articles by 2 independent reviewers, 29 studies were included: 12 on pregnancy/birth outcomes with samples ranging from 115 to 22,761 and 17 on cardiovascular and immune-mediated health outcomes in childhood with samples ranging from 43 to 1542. Evidence levels (3 to 2++) were rated according to the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. Results: Chronic noise exposure during pregnancy was not associated with birth weight, preterm birth, congenital anomalies, perinatal and neonatal death based on 6 cohort, 4 case-control, and 2 cross-sectional studies (highest evidence level 2+). There was some evidence supporting an association of chronic noise exposure with increased systolic blood pressure and stress hormone levels in urine and saliva in children evaluating 2 cohort and 15 cross-sectional studies (highest evidence level 2-). Conclusions: There seemed to be no associations between chronic noise and pregnancy outcomes based on studies with evidence levels up to 2+. Associations between chronic noise and health in children were based mainly on cross-sectional studies. However, the studies included in this comprehensive systematic review showed a high variation in study design, outcome, exposure and confounder assessments.
AB - Background: Chronic noise is an environmental pollutant and well-known to cause annoyance and sleep disturbance. Its association with clinical and subclinical adverse health effects has been discussed. Objectives: This systematic review aimed to examine associations between chronic noise exposure during pregnancy or childhood and health outcomes in early and late childhood. Methods: Following a systematic electronic literature search (MEDLINE, EMBASE), an additional hand search and a critical evaluation of potential articles by 2 independent reviewers, 29 studies were included: 12 on pregnancy/birth outcomes with samples ranging from 115 to 22,761 and 17 on cardiovascular and immune-mediated health outcomes in childhood with samples ranging from 43 to 1542. Evidence levels (3 to 2++) were rated according to the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network. Results: Chronic noise exposure during pregnancy was not associated with birth weight, preterm birth, congenital anomalies, perinatal and neonatal death based on 6 cohort, 4 case-control, and 2 cross-sectional studies (highest evidence level 2+). There was some evidence supporting an association of chronic noise exposure with increased systolic blood pressure and stress hormone levels in urine and saliva in children evaluating 2 cohort and 15 cross-sectional studies (highest evidence level 2-). Conclusions: There seemed to be no associations between chronic noise and pregnancy outcomes based on studies with evidence levels up to 2+. Associations between chronic noise and health in children were based mainly on cross-sectional studies. However, the studies included in this comprehensive systematic review showed a high variation in study design, outcome, exposure and confounder assessments.
KW - Chronic noise
KW - Noise exposure
KW - Pregnancy
KW - Birth outcomes
KW - Paediatric outcomes
KW - Children
KW - Adolescents
U2 - 10.1016/j.ijheh.2012.06.001
DO - 10.1016/j.ijheh.2012.06.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 22854276
VL - 216
SP - 217
EP - 229
JO - International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health
JF - International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health
SN - 1438-4639
IS - 3
ER -