Electrical hypersensitivity in humans--fact or fiction?
The phenomenon of the so-called electrical hypersensitivity in the weak electromagnetic fields of everyday life, potentially causing different health symptoms, is reviewed under consideration of current results from in-vivo and in-vitro investigations as well as of statistical data. Electrical hypersensitivity cannot be explained by means of the known and validated influence mechanisms of electromagnetic fields in humans, as their thresholds are at least 50 times higher for harmless effects, and more than 1000 times higher for adverse effects than the strengths of the environmental fields. Present statistical data reveal clear inconsistencies in many respects. The prevalence varies by a factor 1000 although the reporting countries have comparable field and exposure situations. Neither the apparently random combination of symptoms on the side of the suffering patients nor the problematic attribution of the symptoms to certain electromagnetic field situations do support the hypothesis of a electrical hypersensitivity. On the other hand, the statistical data must be considered unsubstantiated because of the small number of cases and the procedures of survey. Consequently, there is a need for additional, systematic investigations of this group of patients under participation of different medical and biomedical disciplines.
Silny
J
J
Forschungszentrum für Elektro-Magnetische Umweltverträglichkeit (femu), Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen, Germany. silny@femu.rwth-aachen.de
D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence