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Research

Aircraft noise and cardiovascular disease near Heathrow airport in London: small area study

BMJ 2013; 347 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f5432 (Published 08 October 2013) Cite this as: BMJ 2013;347:f5432

Rapid Response:

Re: Aircraft noise and cardiovascular disease near Heathrow airport in London: small area study

Neither study of aircraft noise and cardiovascular disease mentions one important confounding factor.

If you live under a flight path, you are not only exposed to high levels of aircraft noise, you are also exposed to a fine mist of huge quantities of burnt aviation fuel, which is effectively paraffin/kerosene. Fumes from kerosene cooking stoves in the developing world are know to be associated with disease. Could high levels of aircraft noise simply be a marker for high levels of inhaled kerosene exhaust fumes?

Competing interests: No competing interests

12 October 2013
Quentin Shaw
GP
Stirchley Medical Practice
Telford TF3 1FB