title: Electromagnetic fields produced by GSM cellular phones and heart rate variability.
abstract: In this study, 26 healthy young volunteers were submitted to 900 MHz (2 W) GSM cellular phone exposure and to sham exposure in separate sessions. The study was designed to assess cardiac regulatory mechanism in different autonomic nervous system (ANS) states during exposure to low-intensity EMF. Rest-to-stand protocol was applied to evaluate ANS in quiet condition (rest, vagal prevalence) and after a sympathetic activation (stand). The procedure is conducted twice in a double-blind design: once with a genuine EMF exposure and once with a sham exposure (at least 24 h apart). During each session three-leads electrocardiograms were recorded and RR series extracted off-line. Time domain and frequency domain HRV parameters were calculated in every phase of the protocol and during different exposures. The analysis of the data show there was no statistically significant effect due to EMF exposure both on main (i.e., RR mean) and most of the other HRV parameters. A weak interaction between some HRV parameters (i.e., SDNN, TINN, and triangular index in time domain and LF power in frequency domain analysis) and RF exposure was observed and this effect seems to be gathered around the sympathetic response to stand.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Ingegneria Biomedica ISIB, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, Milano, Italy. marta.parazzini@polimi.it
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Parazzini
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ravazzani
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tognola
authors.forename: György
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thuróczy
authors.forename: Ferenc B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Molnar
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sacchettini
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ardesi
authors.forename: Luca Tommaso
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Mainardi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D040421:Cell Phone; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011187:Posture; D012016:Reference Values; D016683:Supine Position