Key result
Exposure to man-made electromagnetic fields was associated with a significant decrease in SDNN (ES -0.227; 95% CI -0.389 to -0.065; p=0.006), SDANN, and PNN50.
Why the study?
Studies evaluating the relationship between man-made electromagnetic fields and cardiac autonomic nervous system activity assessed by heart rate variability have yielded conflicting results.
Does exposure to man-made electromagnetic fields affect heart rate variability parameters in the general public?
Meta-Analysis
Does exposure to man-made electromagnetic fields affect heart rate variability parameters in the general public?
Effect estimate: ES -0.227 (95% CI -0.389, -0.065)
p-value: p=0.006
Exposure to artificial electromagnetic fields is associated with decreased heart rate variability indices (SDNN, SDANN, PNN50), suggesting a potential impact on cardiac autonomic nervous system activity.
May signal autonomic effects of environmental EMF; leaves open implications for CV risk and exposure guidelines.
OBJECTIVES: The effects of man-made electromagnetic fields (EMFs) on the cardiovascular system have been investigated in many studies. In this regard, the cardiac autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity due to EMFs exposure, assessed by heart rate variability (HRV), was targeted in some studies. The studies investigating the relationship between EMFs and HRV have yielded conflicting results. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the data's consistency and identify the association between EMFs and HRV measures. CONTENT: Published literature from four electronic databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane, were retrieved and screened. Initially, 1601 articles were retrieved. After the screening, 15 original studies were eligible to be included in the meta-analysis. The studies evaluated the association between EMFs and SDNN (standard deviation of NN intervals), SDANN (Standard deviation of the average NN intervals for each 5 min segment of a 24 h HRV recording), and PNN50 (percentage of successive RR intervals that differ by more than 50 ms). SUMMARY: There was a decrease in SDNN (ES=-0.227 [-0.389, -0.065], p=0.006), SDANN (ES=-0.526 [-1.001, -0.05], p=0.03) and PNN50 (ES=-0.287 [-0.549, -0.024]). However, there was no significant difference in LF (ES=0.061 (-0.267, 0.39), p=0.714) and HF (ES=-0.134 (0.581, 0.312), p=0.556). In addition, a significant difference was not observed in LF/HF (ES=0.079 (-0.191, 0.348), p=0.566). OUTLOOK: Our meta-analysis suggests that exposure to the environmental artificial EMFs could significantly correlate with SDNN, SDANN, and PNN50 indices. Therefore, lifestyle modification is essential in using the devices that emit EMs, such as cell phones, to decrease some signs and symptoms due to EMFs' effect on HRV.
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Mansourian et al. (2023) reported a meta-analysis. Man-made electromagnetic fields (EMFs) was evaluated on SDNN (standard deviation of NN intervals) (ES -0.227, 95% CI -0.389, -0.065, p=0.006). Exposure to man-made electromagnetic fields was associated with a significant decrease in SDNN (ES -0.227; 95% CI -0.389 to -0.065; p=0.006), SDANN, and PNN50.
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