Effect of long duration exposure of mobile phones on heart rate variability

Mobile phones (MP) are now used by approximately 63% of world population. It works through non ionizing electromagnetic (EM) waves of medium range proposing health issues. The present study was a case-control study designed to see the effect of EM radiation on the autonomic function of the human body by measuring time domain functions of Heart Rate Variability (HRV). The study conducted in PGIMS Rohtak, Haryana, INDIA. 100 male subjects of age 18–40 were selected, and divided into 2 groups Group I (50) not using MP and Group II (50) using MP for 2–5 years with a mean duration of 30 minutes/day. Both the groups were exposed to MP radiation for 30 minutes. The pre exposure and post exposure HRV were measured and compared using non parametric tests. The acute exposure to mobile phone for 30 minutes did not cause a significant change in the HRV components level but when the basal HRV components were compared in both the groups, those were quite high in the users group than the non user group like SDNN user (70.993 ± 96.69), SDNN non user (44.46 ± 16.3), RMSSDuser group (36.90928 ± 19.88091) RMSSD non user group (29.36568 ± 13.0391). NN50 in non-users (32.06 ± 33.09196) NN50 in users: (53.9 ± 47.32012) pNN50: in non-users (12.632 ± 12.81879) pNN50: in users (20.51 ± 19.72159). Though the immediate exposure to the mobile phone radiation does not cause a significant change in the autonomic system but the long exposure no doubt alters autonomic system.