Abstract
Purpose
The effects of electromagnetic fields of mobile phones on headaches have attracted researchers during the last decades. However, contradictory results have been reported so far.
Methods
In this systematic review and meta-analysis, major databases including PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science were searched using suitable search terms and PRISMA guidelines to retrieve eligible studies for the effect of mobile phone use on headache. After the abstract and full-text screening, 33 studies were retrieved and the effect size in terms of odds ratio (OR) was extracted. Between-study heterogeneity was assessed using I2 statistic and Q test, while publication bias was evaluated by funnel plot and Egger’s and Begg’s tests.
Results
Among 33 eligible studies, 30 eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis. When considering all studies, the pooled effect size of OR = 1.30(95% CI 1.21–1.39) was obtained, while the heterogeneity between studies was significant. Subgroup analyses by considering the age of participants and EMF exposure duration were performed to find the source of heterogeneity. The odds ratios when the age of participants was the variable were 1.33 (95% CI 1.14–1.53) and 1.29 (95% CI 1.20–1.37), for ages > 18 and age ≤ 18 years, respectively. When EMF exposure duration was considered, subgroup analysis obtained the pooled effect size of OR = 1.41(95% CI 1.22–1.61) and 1.23(95% CI 1.12–1.34), for EMF exposure duration > 100 and ≤ 100 minutes per week, respectively. The pooled effect sizes emphasized the effect of mobile phone use on headaches for all ages and exposure durations.
Conclusion
Results revealed that age and exposure duration (mainly call duration), both were the source of heterogeneity between studies. Furthermore, results showed that increasing call duration and mobile phone use in older individuals increased the risk of headache.
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Abbreviations
- CI:
-
Confidence interval
- EMF:
-
Electromagnetic field
- CS:
-
Cross-sectional
- CC:
-
Case-control
- C:
-
Cohort
- CCT:
-
Clinical controlled trial
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The authors would like to thank the Deputy of Research and Technology, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, for its support for the study (No. 140002071016). We confirm that our work was not funded by or on behalf of any governmental agency.
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All authors contributed equally to study design. SF and SK performed systematic search, title, abstract and full-text screening steps. SF performed statistical and meta-analyses and wrote the initial draft. All authors contributed equally for discussing the results and revising the draft.
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Farashi, S., Bashirian, S., Khazaei, S. et al. Mobile phone electromagnetic radiation and the risk of headache: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 95, 1587–1601 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-022-01835-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-022-01835-x