NORAH Study: Blood pressure monitoring using telemedicine - design and methods to investigate associations of blood pressure with aircraft, road traffic and railway traffic noise

摘要

The monitoring program for blood pressure (07/2012-04/2014) is designed as a longitudinal study aiming to analyze, whether blood pressure (averaged over measurements within 14 consecutive days out of 21-day-period) as well as the risk of cardio-vascular diseases in total is associated with aircraft noise exposure, road traffic and railway noise and whether the changes in the flight operations due to airport expansion correspond with changes in the average blood pressure over time. Participants (n=2000) are trained to assess their blood pressure in the morning and evening on 21 days. In addition, they fill in a questionnaire on cardio-vascular risk factors. The same participants are asked to repeat measurements in the follow-up one year later. The devices used for measuring blood pressure send the measured values to a cell phone via Bluetooth wirelessly. In turn the received values are forwarded in real time to a secure online database, using a protected internet connection (SSL encryption). Medical staff is monitoring the values to ensure frequency of the measurements and giving feedback to participants. The NORAH Study will be carried out from 2011 to 2014 by commission of the Environment & Community Center/Forum Airport & Region, Kelsterbach, Germany.