title: Cardiovascular risk in operators under radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation.
abstract: The aim of the study was to assess the long-term effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (EMR) on the cardiovascular system. Two groups of exposed operators (49 broadcasting (BC) station and 61 TV station operators) and a control group of 110 radiorelay station operators, matched by sex and age, with similar job characteristics except for the radiofrequency EMR were studied. The EMR exposure was assessed and the time-weighted average (TWA) was calculated. The cardiovascular risk factors arterial pressure, lipid profile, body mass index, waist/hip ratio, smoking, and family history of cardiovascular disease were followed. The systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were significantly higher in the two exposed groups. It was found that the radiofrequency EMR exposure was associated with greater chance of becoming hypertensive and dyslipidemic. The stepwise multiple regression equations showed that the SBP and TWA predicted the high TC and high LDL-C, while the TC, age and abdominal obesity were predictors for high SBP and DBP. In conclusion, our data show that the radiofrequency EMR contributes to adverse effects on the cardiovascular system.
authors.affiliation: National Center of Public Health Protection, 15 Akademik Ivan Geshov Boul., 1431 Sofia, Bulgaria. KatiaVangelova@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vangelova
authors.forename: Christo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Deyanov
authors.forename: Mishel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Israel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011845:Radio; D011846:Radio Waves / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013690:Television; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio