ID Number		1463
Study Type		Epidemiology
Model		GSM mobile phone and base station exposure and analysis of subjective complaints, concern, EEG in self-identified hypersensitive individuals, and cancer clusters.
Details		Self identified hypersensitive volunteers (n = 9 women, 3 men, age 20-78), that attributed their condition to living in proximity of GSM basestations, were exposed by sitting in a room for 4 x 50 minutes with an active GSM base station 80 meters away. Exposed and sham conditions were obtained by covering a small window in the room facing the base station with shielding or non-shielding material (walls were covered with RF shielding paint). Measured field strengths in the room at the level of the volunteer head were on average 5.2 uW/m2 (control), 153.6 uW/m2 (low exposure) and 2126.8 uW/m2 (high exposure). All subjects sat in a chair with their eyes covered and ears plugged. All subjects reported various symptoms during exposure including buzzing in the head, heart palpitations, unwellness, lightheadedness, anxiety, breathlessness, respiratory problems, nervousness, agitation, headache, tinnitus, heat sensation, and depression. The authors report a significant correlation between RF exposure and increased calmness. In the report to the Austrian Government, the authors report significant EEG changes with exposure. Using a different study design, the author conducted a survey to evaluate whether cancer clusters observed in Hausmannstätten and Vasoldsberg in Austria might be due to exposure to RF sources. The authors report a statistically significant association with proximity to a C-network 450 Mhz (NMT) base station that showed an apparent dose response relationship with total cancers as well as breast and brain cancers. In a subsequent study, the authors report that inidviduals (n = 57) living close to base stations had a higher prevelance of self-reported health disorders as well as a higher concentration of stress markers (e.g., alpha-amylase) in their saliva suggesting a higher level of stress and concern. AUTHORS' ABSTRACT: Augner et al. 2012 (IEEE # 5147): The potential effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) emitted by GSM mobile phones on subjective symptoms, well-being and physiological parameters have been investigated in many studies. However, the results have been ambiguous. The current meta-analysis aims to clarify whether RF-EMF have an influence on well-being in self-reported sensitive persons, as well as in non-sensitive people. A literature search revealed 17 studies including 1174 participants. The single effects for various subjective and objective outcomes were meta-analytically combined to yield a single population parameter. Dependant variables were subjective (e.g. headaches) and objective parameters (e.g. heart rate variability) of well-being. The results show no significant impact of short-term RF-EMF exposure on any parameter. Future research should focus on the possible effects of long-term exposure. AUTHORS' ABSTRACT: Augner and Hacker 2012 (IEEE #5148): OBJECTIVES: This study aims to address possible associations between excessive or dysfunctional use of mobile phones and certain psychological variables. METHODS: Our study focuses on Problematic Mobile Phone Use (PU) in 196 young adults. A survey was arranged to measure PU, daily mobile phone use in minutes, use of short message service (SMS) and also included psychological and health variables (e.g., chronic stress, depression). RESULTS: Statistic analysis indicates that chronic stress, low emotional stability, female gender, young age, depression, and extraversion are associated with PU. CONCLUSIONS: Future research needs to clarify the causality of these findings and should also intend to develop concepts for a more meaningful use of mobile phone and related technologies. AUTHORS' ABSTRACT: Augner et al. 2010 (IEEE #6289): OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to test whether exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) emitted by mobile phone base stations may have effects on salivary alpha-amylase, immunoglobulin A (IgA), and cortisol levels. METHODS:Fifty seven participants were randomly allocated to one of three different experimental scenarios (22 participants to scenario 1, 26 to scenario 2, and 9 to scenario 3). Each participant went through five 50-minute exposure sessions. The main RF-EMF source was a GSM-900-MHz antenna located at the outer wall of the building. In scenarios 1 and 2, the first, third, and fifth sessions were "low" (median power flux density 5.2 microW/m(2)) exposure. The second session was "high" (2126.8 microW/m(2)), and the fourth session was "medium" (153.6 microW/m(2)) in scenario 1, and vice versa in scenario 2. Scenario 3 had four "low" exposure conditions, followed by a "high" exposure condition. Biomedical parameters were collected by saliva samples three times a session. Exposure levels were created by shielding curtains. RESULTS: In scenario 3 from session 4 to session 5 (from "low" to "high" exposure), an increase of cortisol was detected, while in scenarios 1 and 2, a higher concentration of alpha-amylase related to the baseline was identified as compared to that in scenario 3. IgA concentration was not significantly related to the exposure. CONCLUSIONS: RF-EMF in considerably lower field densities than ICNIRP-guidelines may influence certain psychobiological stress markers.
Findings		No Effects
Status		Completed With Publication
Principal Investigator		Salzburg University, Germany
Funding Agency		Ministry Environ Tech, Austria
Country		AUSTRIA
References		Augner, C et al. Indian J Occup Environ Med., (2009) 13:141-145 Augner, C et al. Bioelectromagnetics, (2009) 30:73-80 Oberfeld, G Report to the Provincial Government of Styria, Graz, Austria (English Summary): http://www.verwaltung.steiermark.at/cms/ziel/21212/DE/, (2008) :- Augner , C et al. Sci Total Environ., (2012) 424:11-15 Augner, C et al. Int J Public Health., (2012) 57:437-441 Augner, C et al. Biomed Environ Sci., (2010) 23:199-207
Comments		There is no description of how the volunteers were recruited, all apparently self identified hypersensitive. The authors claim this study to be "the first worldwide proof of significant changes of the electrical currents in the brain by a cell phone base station at a distance of 80 metres". Although the study was supposedly performed blinded, there was no real description of the shielded vs non shielded window cover material that may have been percieved. The reported power fluxuations of the base station resulted in field strength variability of 3dB. In the epidemiologic study around C-network 450 Mhz (NMT) base stations, during the time of the original cancer cluster identification (that precipitated the study), no C-network 450 Mhz (NMT) base stations were actively in service.