Noise Health. 2026 Jan-Feb 01;28(130):128-138. doi: 10.4103/nah.nah_215_25. Epub 2026 Feb 28.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Environmental noise is common in intensive care units (ICUs), but its relationship with myocardial injury progression in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is not well understood. This study compared myocardial injury biomarker levels and clinical outcomes of patients with AMI in a noise-reduced and standard ICUs.
METHODS: This retrospective study included patients with AMI who were admitted to an ICU between December 2021 and December 2024. Patients were allocated to standard and noise-reduced ICU groups on the basis of inpatient environment. The key metrics assessed included myocardial injury biomarkers (hs-cTnI and hs-cTnT), which were measured at baseline and multiple time points up to 48 hours post-admission. The main noise exposure indicator is the 24 hours average equivalent sound level. Supportive treatments administered in the ICU, such as sedation, the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events 30 days post-admission, ICU stay duration and total hospital stay duration were analysed.
RESULTS: A total of 218 patients with comparable baseline data were allocated to standard (n = 113) and noise-reduced ICU groups (n = 105). All data reported in this study are absolute values measured at each time point. The noise-reduced ICU group exhibited significantly lower noise levels (44.21 ± 2.78 dBA vs. 55.26 ± 3.84 dBA, P < 0.001) and hs-cTnI and hs-cTnT levels at 12, 24 and 48 hours (hs-cTnI at 48 h: 135.65 ± 11.38 vs. 143.17 ± 17.82 ng/L, P < 0.001), reduced sedation use (24.76% vs. 38.05%, P = 0.035), a lower incidence of malignant arrhythmia (3.81% vs. 11.50%, P = 0.034) and shorter ICU (4.39 ± 0.75 days vs. 4.68 ± 0.92 days, P = 0.010) and total hospital stays (10.73 ± 1.32 days vs. 11.25 ± 1.45 days, P = 0.006).
CONCLUSION: The implementation of noise reduction measures in the ICU was associated with reduced levels of myocardial injury, decrease in complications and improved short-term outcomes in patients with AMI.
PMID:41800680 | DOI:10.4103/nah.nah_215_25