Evidence mapPaperPMID 41740584Full record

Trial reportCardiovascular research2026

A randomized, double-blind, crossover study of acute low-level night-time road traffic noise: effects on vascular function, sleep, and proteomic signatures in healthy adults.

Omar Hahad, Patrick Foos, Jonas Hübner, Christina Große-Dresselhaus, Frank P Schmidt, Mir Abolfazl Ostad, Marin Kuntic, Lukas Hobohm, Karsten Keller, Volker H Schmitt and 11 more

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Cardiovascular research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

21 authors.

Omar HahadDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, Mainz 55131, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-7823-7671
Patrick FoosDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, Mainz 55131, Germany.
Jonas HübnerDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, Mainz 55131, Germany.
Christina Große-DresselhausDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, Mainz 55131, Germany.
Frank P SchmidtDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, Mainz 55131, Germany.
Mir Abolfazl OstadDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, Mainz 55131, Germany.
Marin KunticDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, Mainz 55131, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-2435-851X
Lukas HobohmDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, Mainz 55131, Germany.
Karsten KellerDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, Mainz 55131, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-0820-9584
Volker H SchmittDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, Mainz 55131, Germany.
Thomas KöckDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, Mainz 55131, Germany.
Philipp WildDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, Mainz 55131, Germany.
Irene SchmidtmannInstitute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-8743-6752
Mette SørensenWork, Environment and Cancer, Danish Cancer Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0002-7302-4789
Martin RöösliSwiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0002-7475-1531
Paul StammDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, Mainz 55131, Germany.
Alexander von KriegsheimCancer Research UK (CRUK) Scotland Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Johannes HerzogDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, Mainz 55131, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-7822-2522
Philipp LurzDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, Mainz 55131, Germany.
Andreas DaiberDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, Mainz 55131, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-2769-0094
Thomas MünzelDepartment of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, Mainz 55131, Germany.

Funding

environmental research consortium MARKOPOLOEuropean Health and Digital Executive AgencyEuropean UnionFoundation Heart of MainzGerman Center for Cardiovascular ResearchMainzer WissenschaftsstiftungMax Planck Institute for ChemistryScience Initiative of the state Rhineland-PalatinateSwiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsRoad traffic noise is the dominant source of environmental noise in Europe and a recognized cardiovascular risk factor, yet direct mechanistic evidence from human studies remains limited. This study investigated the acute effects of low-level night-time road traffic noise exposure on cardiovascular parameters in healthy adults. METHODS AND

resultsIn a randomized, double-blind, crossover design, 74 healthy participants were exposed to three overnight conditions: control (no noise, average sound pressure level (LAeq) 30.70 dB), 30 (LAeq 41.36), and 60 (LAeq 44.13) recorded road traffic noise events (peak level ≈60 dB). The primary endpoint was endothelial function assessed by flow-mediated dilation (FMD) the morning after each night; a subgroup received vitamin C to assess oxidative stress involvement. Secondary endpoints included sleep quality (questionnaires), cardiovascular parameters (blood pressure, heart rate, electrocardiogram), and targeted proteomic analysis (Olink panels). FMD significantly decreased from 9.35% (control) to 8.19% after 30 noise events (Δ = 1.16%, P = 0.005) and 7.73% after 60 events (Δ = 1.63%, P < 0.0001), with the strongest FMD improvement by vitamin C in the 60-event condition (Δ = 1.02%). Noise exposure increased heart rate (mean difference Δ = 1.23 bpm, P = 0.04; max Δ = 7.95 bpm, P < 0.001) and the odds of post-noise heart rate peaks (odds ratio 2.42, 95% confidence interval 2.07-2.83). After noise exposure, self-reported sleep quality and restfulness were significantly impaired across all dimensions. Clinical chemistry blood parameters did not change significantly. Proteomic analysis revealed noise-associated changes in interleukin signalling and chemotaxis in participants with the strongest FMD impairments.

conclusionAcute exposure to night-time road traffic noise leads to measurable changes in cardiovascular health parameters in healthy adults. These effects were linked to activation of molecular pathways of immune signalling. Plasma proteome changes were correlated to FMD changes (responders vs. non-responders), highlighting interindividual biological susceptibility to noise.

Indexed as

Endothelium, VascularNoise, TransportationProteomicsSleepSleep QualityVasodilationAdultAntioxidantsAscorbic AcidBiomarkersCross-Over StudiesDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedAntioxidantsAscorbic AcidBiomarkersCardiovascular stress responseEndothelial functionProteomicsRoad traffic noiseSleep disturbance

Identifiers

PMID41740584
PMCPMC13020542

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.