Assessment of potential effects of the electromagnetic fields of mobile phones on hearing

BACKGROUND: Mobile phones have become indispensable as communication tools; however, to date there is only a limited knowledge about interaction between electromagnetic fields (EMF) emitted by mobile phones and auditory function. The aim of the study was to assess potential changes in hearing function as a consequence of exposure to low-intensity EMF's produced by mobile phones at frequencies of 900 and 1800 MHz. METHODS: The within-subject study was performed on thirty volunteers (age 18–30 years) with normal hearing to assess possible acute effect of EMF. Participants attended two sessions: genuine and sham exposure of EMF. Hearing threshold levels (HTL) on pure tone audiometry (PTA) and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE's) were recorded before and immediately after 10 min of genuine and/or sham exposure of mobile phone EMF. The administration of genuine or sham exposure was double blind and counterbalanced in order. RESULTS: Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in the mean HTLs of PTA and mean shifts of TEOAE's before and after genuine and/or sham mobile phone EMF 10 min exposure. The data collected showed that average TEOAE levels (averaged across a frequency range) changed less than 2.5 dB between pre- and post-, genuine and sham exposure. The greatest individual change was 10 dB, with a decrease in level from pre- to post- real exposure. CONCLUSION: It could be concluded that a 10-min close exposure of EMFs emitted from a mobile phone had no immediate after-effect on measurements of HTL of PTA and TEOAEs in young human subjects and no measurable hearing deterioration was detected in our study

Swedish-Lithuanian telemedicine Litmed project in otolaryngology

Telemedicine is becoming a reality as a result of improvements in technology and telecommunications. The task of the otolaryngological part of the pilot international telemedicine Litmed project was devoted to the establishment of telemedicine training and demonstration facilities in cooperation between the Departments of Otolaryngology of the Kaunas University of Medicine (Lithuania) and the Lund University (Sweden). The main areas of action of the Litmed project in otolaryngology were: (1) remote rehabilitation of cochlear implant (CI) patients, and (2) phonosurgery and phoniatrics. The main results of the project were as follows: (a) establishment of telemedicine environment for remote on-line collaboration and planned off-line collaboration by use of recorded video laryngostroboscopic images, voice samples, and graphical and computed tomography (CT) data; (b) possibility to carry through telemedicine sessions for pedagogical and speech training support and for cooperative work of speech therapists from Lund and Kaunas with CI patients; (c) remote consultations and discussion of challenging laryngeal cases; and (d) establishment of a technical environment and practical routines for on-line consultations during laryngeal surgery at the Departments of Otolaryngology of Kaunas and Lund. The Litmed project served to assist medical education and research. Tele-otolaryngology helps to keep constant professional contacts with the specialists from abroad and supports an establishment of a center of reference in tele-otolaryngology in Lithuania

Effects of UMTS cellular phones on human hearing: results of the European project EMFnEAR

The European project EMFnEAR was undertaken to assess potential changes in human auditory function after a short-term exposure to radiofrequency (RF) radiation produced by UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) mobile phones. Participants were healthy young adults with no hearing or ear disorders. Auditory function was assessed immediately before and after exposure to radiofrequency radiation, and only the exposed ear was tested. Tests for the assessment of auditory function were hearing threshold level (HTL), distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE), contralateral suppression of transiently evoked otoacoustic emission (CAS effect on TEOAE), and auditory evoked potentials (AEP). The exposure consisted of speech at a typical conversational level delivered via an earphone to one ear, plus genuine or sham RF-radiation exposure produced by a commercial phone controlled by a personal computer. Results from 134 participants did not show any consistent pattern of effects on the auditory system after a 20-min UMTS exposure at the maximum output of the phone with 69 mW/kg SAR in the cochlea region in a double blind comparison of genuine and sham exposure. An isolated effect on the hearing threshold at high frequencies was identified, but this was statistically nonsignificant after correction for multiple comparisons. It is concluded that UMTS short-term exposure at the maximum output of consumer mobile phones does not cause measurable immediate effects on the human auditory syste