Epidemiological study (observational study)

Clinically defined non-specific symptoms in the vicinity of mobile phone base stations: A retrospective before-after study epidem.

By: Baliatsas C, van Kamp I, Bolte J, Kelfkens G, van Dijk C, Spreeuwenberg P, Hooiveld M, Lebret E, Yzermans J

Published in: Sci Total Environ 2016; 565: 714-720

Aim of study (acc. to author)

A retrospective cohort study was conducted in the Netherlands to test possible changes in prevalence and number of non-specific symptoms in relation to exposure to mobile phone base stations before and after increase of installed antennas at mobile phone base stations.

Further details

Data for the baseline period (January - December 2004) were collected retrospectively for the study population of the cross-sectional study by Baliatsas et al. (2015). Inclusion criteria were availability of complete electronic health record data, comparability of symptom data in terms of registration methodology and living in the same house in 2004 and 2011.
Categorization into sensitivity to mobile phone base stations was based on the reports of the participants in 2011.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

symptoms of discomfort: 23 symptoms such as headache, fatigue, dizziness, memory or concentration problems, skin symptoms, heart palpitations, ear symptoms, neck or shoulder symptoms, back pain, muscular pain
sleep disturbances
electromagnetic hypersensitivity

Type of risk estimation:

prevalence

Exposure

- mobile communications
- mobile phone base station
- GSM
- UMTS
- residential

Assessment

calculation: electric field strength was calculated for each participant including all base stations within a 500 m radius of the house and data provided by the Radio Communications Agency Netherlands

Population

Group:
- men
- women
Age: ≥ 18 years
Characteristics: residents living in a radius of 500 m to a base station
Observation period: January - December 2004, follow-up July 2010 - June 2011
Study location: Netherlands

Study size

Type	Value
Total	5,933
Evaluable	1,069

Statistical analysis method:

logistic regression
Poisson regression model

(adjustment:

age
sex
house ownership status

)

Results (acc. to author)

Overall 55 participants reported to be electrosensitive to mobile phone base stations in 2011.
There was an increase in the total number of antennas at mobile phone base stations of 30% in the period 2004-2011. Mean total calculated electric field strength was 0.10 (±0.15) V/m in 2004 and 0.104 (±0.15) in 2011 for the electrosensitive group; for the rest of the sample mean exposure levels were 0.11 (±0.23) V/m and 0.12 (±0.23) V/m respectively.
A higher prevalence for most non-specific symptoms was observed in the electrosensitive group in 2011 compared to baseline. Exposure estimates were not associated with general practitioner registered non-specific symptoms in the total sample. However, some significant interactions were observed between electrosensitivity and exposure estimates on risk of symptoms.
The authors concluded that by using clinically defined outcomes and a time difference of 6 years it was demonstrated that radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure to mobile phone base stations was not associated with the development of non-specific symptoms. Nonetheless, there was some indication for a higher risk of non-specific symptoms for the electrosensitive group, mainly in relation to exposure to UMTS, but this should be interpreted with caution.

Study funded by

ZonMw, The Netherlands

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