ID Number		1582
Study Type		Epidemiology
Model		RF exposure (base stations, mobile phones, other sources) and assessment of subjective symptoms in hypersensitive individuals
Details		Self reported hypersensitive (n = 132) and non-hypersensitive volunteers (n = 101) were given a questionnaire of complaints and exposure to sources of electromagnetic fields. The study also sought to identify potential confounding or synergistic factors, including allergens, heavy metals, or chemicals, might contribute to self indicated RF hypersensitivity. The authors report hypersensitive individuals were less employed and reported more overall and severe complaints than non-hypersensitive controls. Nearly 80% of the hypersensitive individuals were currently under medical treatment, and one third also claimed sensitivity to various chemicals vs. 4% of controls. Hypersensitive individuals had a reduced health-related quality of life and increased depressive mood. In addition, blood samples were taken to evaluate TSH and creatinine (for kidney function), alanine transaminase and asparate transaminase (for liver function), hemoglobin and hematocrit (for anemia), and C-reactive protein, leucocytes, thrombocytes, and platelet volume (for inflamation). The authors report that in some self proclaimed hypersensitive patients, a significantly lower TSH level, higher alanine transaminase and asparate transaminase level, and higher C-reactive protein level was measured. They conclude that thyroid, liver and immune function may play a role in certain self proclaimed hypersensitive patients, but it is unclear as to whether this is linked to the EMF exposure. A subsequent publication found no overall elevation in the levels of heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium) in EHS blood samples.
Findings		Effects
Status		Completed With Publication
Principal Investigator		Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Germany
Funding Agency		BfS, Germany, DMF, Germany
Country		GERMANY
References		Ghezel-Ahmadi, D et al. Sci Total Environ, (2010) 408:774-778 Dahmen, N et al. Bioelectromagnetics, (2009) 30:299-306 Ghoneim, FM et al. Acta histochemica., (2016) 118:478-485
Comments		http://www.emf-forschungsprogramm.de/forschung/biologie/biologie_abges/bio_115.html; http://www.emf-forschungsprogramm.de/forschung/dosimetrie/dosimetrie_abges/dosi_090.html