Chang T.-Y.TA-CHEN SULin S.-Y.Jain R.-M.CHANG-CHUAN CHAN2020-09-282020-09-2820070091-6765https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-38449086977&doi=10.1289%2fehp.10346&partnerID=40&md5=36323a2ddf29bef6472c3ba885c8f33bhttps://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/514866BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that occupational noise exposure is associated with hypertension, but the related mechanism in vascular structural changes is unclear. OBJECTIVE: This panel study aimed to investigate effects of occupational noise exposure on ambulatory vascular structural properties in male workers. METHODS: We recruited 20 volunteers and divided them into a high-noise-exposure group of 15 and a low-noise-exposure group of 5 based on environmental noise measurement in an automobile manufacturing company. We determined individual noise exposure and measured personal ambulatory vascular property parameters simultaneously during 24 hr. Linear mixed-effects regression models were used to estimate transient and sustained effects of noise exposure on vascular parameters by adjusting some confounders collected from self-administrated questionnaires and health checkups. RESULTS: The high-noise-exposed (85 ± 8 dBA) workers had significantly higher systemic vascular resistance (SVR) than the low-noise-exposed workers (59 ± 4 dBA) during work and sleep periods. Contrarily, low-noise-exposed workers had significantly higher brachial artery compliance (BAC), brachial artery distensibility (BAD), and systemic vascular compliance (SVC; marginal, p = 0.07) than high-noise-exposed workers during off-duty periods. We also found that high-noise-exposed workers had significantly lower BAC (1.38 ± 0.55 %mL/mmHg) and BAD (1.29 ± 0.51 %/mmHg), as well as lower SVC (0.24 ± 0.10 mL/L/mmHg), but higher SVR (1.93 ± 0.67 mL/L/min) compared with low-noise-exposed workers over a 24-hr period. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that in automobile workers, occupational noise exposure may have sustained, not transient, effects on vascular properties and also enhances the development of hypertension.[SDGs]SDG3adult; article; blood pressure monitoring; blood vessel; brachial artery; car; elasticity; human; hypertension; industrial noise; industry; male; methodology; middle aged; occupational exposure; pathophysiology; vascular resistance; Adult; Automobiles; Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; Blood Vessels; Brachial Artery; Elasticity; Humans; Hypertension; Industry; Male; Middle Aged; Noise, Occupational; Occupational Exposure; Vascular Resistancejournal article10.1289/ehp.10346180080002-s2.0-38449086977