A 1-mu T extremely low-frequency electromagnetic field vs. sham control for mild-to-moderate hypertension: a double-blind, randomized study

作者:Nishimura, Tsutomu*; Tada, Harue; Guo, Xinfeng; Murayama, Toshinori; Teramukai, Satoshi; Okano, Hideyuki; Yamada, Junichi; Mohri, Kaneo; Fukushima, Masanori
来源:Hypertension Research, 2011, 34(3): 372-377.
DOI:10.1038/hr.2010.246

摘要

The effects of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) on blood pressure (BP) are controversial. In this double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled study, we examined the effects of repeated exposure to a 1-mu T ELF-EMF on BP in 20 humans with mild-to-moderate hypertension. Subjects were randomly assigned to either the ELF-EMF group or the sham group. Subjects in the ELF-EMF group were exposed to an ELF-EMF (6-and 8 Hz, respectively, peak magnetic field 1 mu T, peak electric field 10 Vm(-1)) for at least two 10- to 15-min sessions per week, over a period of 4 weeks. In the sham group, the EMF-generating apparatus was not active. We obtained systolic and diastolic BP (SBP and DBP, respectively) measurements at registration and before and after each ELF-EMF exposure session. Subjects in the ELF-EMF and sham groups had mean ages of 52.8 and 55.1 years, and were exposed to a mean of 9.9 and 9.0 sessions, respectively. There was a significant difference between the ELF-EMF and sham groups with respect to change in SBP value between baseline and the end of the exposure regimen (P-0.02), but not with respect to change in DBP (P-0.21). There were no adverse events other than mild paresthesia of the hands of two subjects in the ELF-EMF group. Our results suggest that repeated exposure to an ELF-EMF has a BP-lowering effect on humans with mild-to-moderate hypertension. Hypertension Research (2011) 34, 372-377; doi:10.1038/hr.2010.246; published online 20 January 2011