Medical/biological study (observational study)

Effects on auditory function of chronic exposure to electromagnetic fields from mobile phones med./bio.

By: Bhagat S, Varshney S, Bist SS, Goel D, Mishra S, Jha VK

Published in: Ear Nose Throat J 2016; 95 (8): E18-22

Aim of study (acc. to author)

The effects of long-term mobile phone usage on the auditory function of healthy students should be investigated.

Background/further details

40 healthy medical students (31 men and 9 women, aged 20 to 30 years) who had been regular mobile phone users for at least 4 years were divided into two groups of 20 based on the duration of their daily mobile phone use: 1) ≤ 1 hour and 2) > 1 hour. The non-phone-using ear served as each subject's control ear.

Endpoint

auditory function

Exposure

- mobile communications
- mobile phone

Exposure	Parameters
Exposure 1: RF (≥ 10 MHz) Exposure duration: ≤ 1 hour/day for at least 4 years	-
Exposure 2: RF (≥ 10 MHz) Exposure duration: > 1 hour/day for at least 4 years	-

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Frequency	RF (≥ 10 MHz)
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	≤ 1 hour/day for at least 4 years

Exposure setup

Exposure source	cellular phone

Parameters

No parameters are specified for this exposure.

Exposure 2

Main characteristics

Frequency	RF (≥ 10 MHz)
Type	electromagnetic field
Exposure duration	> 1 hour/day for at least 4 years

Exposure setup

Exposure source	cellular phone

Parameters

No parameters are specified for this exposure.

Exposed system:

human

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

hypersensitivity/subjective complaints: subjective symptoms (e.g. headache, tinnitus, sensations of burning or warmth behind, around or on the phone-using ear)
auditory function (pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry, impedance audiometry, and brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA) in the frequency range from 0.25 to 16 kHz)

Investigated system:

investigation on living organism

Investigated organ system:

sense organs
auditory system

Time of investigation:

after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

No significant differences were found between both groups or between the phone-use ear and control ear in subjects in any parameter. None of the subjects reported any subjective symptoms.
The authors conclude that long-term mobile phone usage has no effect on the auditory function of healthy students.

Study character:

medical/biological study
observational study
full/main study

Study funded by

not stated/no funding

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Ozturan O et al. (2002): Effects of the electromagnetic field of mobile telephones on hearing
Kellenyi L et al. (1999): Effects of mobile GSM radiotelephone exposure on the auditory brainstem response (ABR)

Effects on auditory function of chronic exposure to electromagnetic fields from mobile phones med./bio.

Aim of study (acc. to author)

Background/further details

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure 1

Main characteristics

Exposure setup

Parameters

Exposure 2

Main characteristics

Exposure setup

Parameters

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Study funded by

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