Medical/biological study (observational study)

The effect of mobile phone to audiologic system med./bio.

By: Kerekhanjanarong V, Supiyaphun P, Naratricoon J, Laungpitackchumpon P

Published in: J Med Assoc Thai 2005; 88: S231-S234

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To measure changes in hearing level of mobile phone users.

Background/further details

98 subjects (31 males) were tested. All subjects were investigated for type of used mobile phone, time of mobile phone use, preferred side, medication, personal history of ear diseases and it was asked whether they experience changes in hearing with or without mobile phone use.

Endpoint

effects on ear: hearing level, otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE, DPOAE), auditory brain stem response, comparison of effects for the dominant and non-dominant side (every person has, similarly to the hand, a dominant hearing side)

Exposure

- mobile communications
- mobile phone
- GSM
- not extractable

No exposure details are available.

Exposed system:

human
partial body: ear

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

effects on ear: hearing level (audiometry, speech reception threshold, speech discrimination score, tympanometry), otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE, DPOAE), auditory brain stem response (on both sides), comparison of effects for the dominant and non-dominant side

Investigated system:

investigation on living organism

Investigated organ system:

Time of investigation:

after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

The average mobile phone usage time was 32.54 +/-27.64 months. 57 subjects preferred the right side for mobile telephone use. Regarding audiometry, no significant difference between the hearing threshold on the dominant side compared to the non-dominant side was found. In eight subjects that used the mobile phone for more than 60 minutes per day, it was observed that the hearing threshold of the dominant ear was worse. However, due to the small sample size (n=8), this finding did not reach statistical significance.
In this study, the hearing of the user was not significantly affected by the electromagnetic field from the cell phone.

Study character:

medical/biological study
observational study
full/main study

Study funded by

not stated/no funding

Çeliker M et al. (2017): Effects of exposure to 2100MHz GSM-like radiofrequency electromagnetic field on auditory system of rats
Bhagat S et al. (2016): Effects on auditory function of chronic exposure to electromagnetic fields from mobile phones
Mandala M et al. (2014): Effect of Bluetooth headset and mobile phone electromagnetic fields on the human auditory nerve
Balachandran R et al. (2012): Effects of Bluetooth device electromagnetic field on hearing: pilot study
Panda NK et al. (2011): Auditory changes in mobile users: is evidence forthcoming?
Colletti V et al. (2011): Intraoperative observation of changes in cochlear nerve action potentials during exposure to electromagnetic fields generated by mobile phones
Panda NK et al. (2010): Audiologic disturbances in long-term mobile phone users
Budak GG et al. (2009): Effects of GSM-like radiofrequency on distortion product otoacoustic emissions of rabbits: comparison of infants versus adults
Budak GG et al. (2009): Effects of GSM-like radiofrequency on distortion product otoacoustic emissions in pregnant adult rabbits
Balbani AP et al. (2008): Mobile phones: influence on auditory and vestibular systems
Kaprana AE et al. (2008): Studying the effects of mobile phone use on the auditory system and the central nervous system: a review of the literature and future directions
Davidson HC et al. (2007): Survey of mobile phone use and their chronic effects on the hearing of a student population
Stefanics G et al. (2007): Short GSM mobile phone exposure does not alter human auditory brainstem response
Parazzini M et al. (2007): Effects of GSM Cellular Phones on Human Hearing: The European Project "GUARD"
Paglialonga A et al. (2007): Effects of mobile phone exposure on time frequency fine structure of transiently evoked otoacoustic emissions
Al-Dousary SH (2007): Mobile phone induced sensorineural hearing loss
Sievert U et al. (2007): [Effects of Electromagnetic Fields Emitted by Cellular Phone on Auditory and Vestibular Labyrinth]
Oktay MF et al. (2006): Effects of intensive and moderate cellular phone use on hearing function
Sievert U et al. (2005): Can mobile phone emissions affect auditory functions of cochlea or brain stem?
Meo SA et al. (2005): Mobile phone related-hazards and subjective hearing and vision symptoms in the Saudi population
Parazzini M et al. (2005): Influence on the mechanisms of generation of distortion product otoacoustic emissions of mobile phone exposure
Meo SA et al. (2005): Do mobile phones cause hearing and vision complaints? A preliminary report
Garcia Callejo FJ et al. (2005): [Hearing level and intensive use of mobile phones]
Uloziene I et al. (2005): Assessment of potential effects of the electromagnetic fields of mobile phones on hearing
Ozturan O et al. (2002): Effects of the electromagnetic field of mobile telephones on hearing