ArticleWorld journal of critical care medicine2026
Noise quantification in the intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital.
Article in World journal of critical care medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundNoise in intensive care units (ICUs) frequently exceeds recommended levels [the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends equivalent continuous noise level (Leq) < 35 dB], arising from alarms, equipment, and staff activity. Elevated sound can disrupt patients' sleep, increase stress, and impair recovery.
aimTo identify the extent of noise exposure in the ICU.
methodsThis observational study was conducted in the adult ICU of a tertiary care hospital. Noise was measured using the SERRAX SLM1090 sound level meter, which was placed in the center of the 10-bed ICU at a height of 6 feet above ground level. A 30-minute time window was set to obtain half-hourly Leq, L10, L50, L90 (representing sound levels exceeding 10%, 50%, and 90% of the time, respectively), and maximum sound level (Lmax).
resultsData were collected over 4 months (December 2024 to March 2025), yielding 5443 half-hourly recordings. The average Leq, Lmax, L10, L50, L90 and sound exposure level were 64.8 ± 2.8 dB, 82.5 ± 4.4 dB, 67.5 ± 2.9 dB, 61.4 ± 3.2 dB, 56.4 ± 2.8 dB and 97.7 ± 2.8 dB, respectively. Nurses' handover, visitation and twilight hours were the noisiest. Nighttime (1:00 hours to 3:00 hours) was the quietest in the ICU. Lmax in the ICU exceeded the WHO cut-offs for industrial sounds and public addresses of 75 dB and 85 dB in 96.7% and 25.5% of readings, respectively. Twenty-four-hour cumulative sound exposure to the patient for night and evening-night penalties were 68 dB and 70 dB, respectively.
conclusionThe noise exposure in the ICU persistently exceeded WHO-recommended thresholds. Maximum noise occurred during handovers, visitation and twilight activities, indicating that these times would be the most effective for intervention.
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