Transportation noise levels and their temporal characteristics may impact arterial stiffness, a predictor of cardiovascular disease. We evaluated the association of residential outdoor road, railway, and aircraft noise levels (Lden), total noise intermittency (IR), and total number of noise events (NE) with brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) using a cross-sectional design. We assessed 2775 adults who underwent baPWV measurements in a Swiss cohort in 2010/2011. We assigned Ldensource, and total day- and night-time NEtime and IRtime (IR: 0%: constant, 100%: highly intermittent noise) at the most exposed dwelling façade, using 2011 source-specific models for Switzerland. Associations were analyzed with multivariable linear mixed regression. Medians (interquartile ranges) were baPWV: 13.4 (3.1) m/s, Ldenroad: 54.2 (10.6) dB, Ldenrail: 30.0 (8.1) dB, and Ldenair: 32.8 (8.0) dB. Both Ldenrail and NEnight were associated with baPWV, independently of other noise sources and air pollution. The association with Ldenrail was greater with IRnight>80% and with reported daytime sleepiness. Long-term exposure to railway noise, particularly in intermittent night-time noise environments, and night-time noise events, mainly related to road noise, may impair arterial stiffness more than other noise characteristics.
