Noise exposure and childhood asthma up to adolescence

Objective: Increasing evidence indicates aggravation of immune-mediated diseases due to physiological and psychological stress. Noise is a stressor, however, little is known about its effects on children's respiratory health. This study investigates the association between pre- or postnatal road traffic or occupational noise exposure and asthma as well as related symptoms from infancy to adolescence.

Methods: The study was conducted in the Swedish birth cohort BAMSE, including over 4000 participants followed with repeated questionnaires and clinical tests until 16 years of age. Pre- and postnatal residential road traffic noise was assessed by estimating time-weighted average noise levels at the most exposed façade. Maternal occupational noise exposure during pregnancy was evaluated using a job-exposure-matrix. The associations between noise exposure and asthma-related outcomes were explored using logistic regression and generalised estimating equations.

Results: We observed non-significant associations for asthma ever up to 16 years with residential road traffic noise exposure in infancy ≥55 dB_Lden (adjusted OR = 1.22; 95% CI 0.90-1.65), as well as prenatal occupational noise exposure ≥80 dB_LAeq,8h (1.18, 0.85-1.62). In longitudinal analyses, however, no clear associations between pre- or postnatal exposure to residential road traffic noise, or average exposure to noise since birth, were detected in relation to asthma or wheeze until 16 years.

Conclusion: We did not find a clear overall association between exposure to noise during different time periods and asthma or wheeze up to adolescence.