Cardiovascular effects of impulse noise, road traffic noise, and intermittent pink noise at LAeq = 75 dB, as a function of sex, age, and level of anxiety: a comparative study. II. Digital pulse level and blood pressure data.

In a previous paper, in which the experimental conditions of the present research are fully described (Parrot et al., this issue), heart rate (HR) was studied in 60 male and in 60 female subjects in response to a pile-driver noise (P), a gunfire noise (G), a road traffic noise (T), and an intermittent pink noise (R), all noises being emitted at the same LAeq = 75 dB for 15 min. Digital pulse level (PL) responses were concomitantly surveyed by the use of pulse oximetry, allowing continuous arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) readings. An index of pulse reactivity (PRI) could be calculated. Arterial blood pressure was measured 7 times from the beginning to the end of each trial. At rest, within the last minutes preceding each exposure to any of the 4 noises, no difference for conditions or for age in prestimulus PL was observed. In all cases, sex is a highly significant source of variation: Mean resting SaO2 values are higher in women than in men. Mean SaO2 at rest was also found to be significantly higher in anxious (Am) than in anxiety-free (Nm) men. When the noise was on for 15 min, increase in PL prevailed to be in most cases in men. In contrast, decrease or near-zero changes prevailed in 1 case out of 2 in the female subgroups. In all groups, the mean PRIs are significantly higher in men. In no case did the age factor prove to be a significant source of PRI variation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)