Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

Hypersensitivity to RF fields emitted from CDMA cellular phones: a provocation study med./bio.

Published in: Bioelectromagnetics 2009; 30 (8): 641-650

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To study whether electromagnetic fields from CDMA mobile phones influence heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, or give rise to subjective symptoms in electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS; n=18) and non-electromagnetic hypersensitivity (n=19) subjects. The further aim of this study was to compare EHS and non-EHS subjects' ability to distinguish between real electromagnetic field exposure and sham exposure.

Background/further details

All of the EHS subjects described themselves as hypersensitive to radiofrequency fields emitted only by CDMA mobile phones and not to extremely low frequency fields.

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1: 824.64–848.37 MHz
Exposure duration: continuous for 30 min

Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency 824.64–848.37 MHz
Type
Waveform
Exposure duration continuous for 30 min
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Setup lower part of a commercial folder-type phone with the keypad wrapped with 5 mm thick insulation; phone placed in a headset; phone set to testmode for continuous transmission of a clipped sine wave
Sham exposure A sham exposure was conducted.
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
power 300 mW maximum - - -
SAR 1.22 W/kg spatial average measured 1 g brain tissue

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Investigated system:
Investigated organ system:
Time of investigation:
  • before exposure
  • during exposure
  • after exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

Radiofrequency exposure did not have any effects on physiological parameters or subjective symptoms in either group. There was no evidence that the electromagnetic hypersensitivity group better perceived electromagnetic fields than the non-electromagnetic hypersensitivity group.

Study character:

Study funded by

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