Epidemiological study (observational study)

Mobile and cordless telephones, serum transthyretin and the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier: a cross-sectional study epidem.

By: Söderqvist F, Carlberg M, Hardell L

Published in: Environ Health 2009; 8: 19

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Sweden to investigate whether long-term and/or short-term use of mobile phones and DECT phones was associated with changed concentrations of transthyretin.

The protein transthyretin served as marker of alterations of the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier. The same study population as in publication 16510 was used. The participants were asked to answer a questionnaire and to leave a blood sample.

Type of risk estimation:

(odds ratio (OR))

questionnaire: use of mobile phones and DECT phones, type of mobile phone, average daily use, year of first use, use of hands-free equipment, time since last use on the day of blood sampling

Group	Description
Group 1	mobile phone and DECT phone use
Group 2	mobile phone use
Group 3	analog mobile phone use
Group 4	digital mobile phone use
Group 5	UMTS mobile phone use
Group 6	DECT phone use
Group 7	cumulative use of mobile phone and DECT phone in hours
Group 8	years since first use of mobile phone and DECT phone
Group 9	minutes of use on the day of giving blood, mobile phones
Group 10	minutes of use on the day of giving blood, DECT
Group 11	minutes from last use until blood sampling, mobile phones and DECT

Statistical analysis method:

(adjustment:

)

Logistic regression analysis of serum transthyretin on mobile phone and DECT phone use yielded increased odds ratios that were statistically not significant (OR 1.2, CI 0.6-2.4). Linear regression analysis of time since first use gave significant findings for men having used analog mobile phones or mobile and DECT phone combined, but not for women. Regarding short-term use, significantly higher serum transthyretin concentrations were observed in women the sooner the blood was withdrawn after the most recent telephone call on that day.

Limitations of the study are the low participation rate and exposure assessment by questionnaire. Serum transthyretin is a marker of nutritional status, thus malnutrition could possibly confound the results. The transthyretin level should ideally be analyzed in the cerebrospinal fluid which is not possible for ethical reasons.

Soderqvist F et al. (2015): Biomarkers in volunteers exposed to mobile phone radiation
Söderqvist F et al. (2009): Use of wireless telephones and serum S100B levels: a descriptive cross-sectional study among healthy Swedish adults aged 18-65 years
Söderqvist F et al. (2009): Exposure to an 890-MHz mobile phone-like signal and serum levels of S100B and transthyretin in volunteers

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