Review of Audiovestibular Symptoms Following Exposure to Acoustic and Electromagnetic Energy Outside Conventional Human Hearing

2020 · Harm · Low evidence

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HarmLow evidencePaper 1526

Study snapshot

Publicationmanual · 2020

Study typereview

Reported directionHarm

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Review of Audiovestibular Symptoms Following Exposure to Acoustic and Electromagnetic Energy Outside Conventional Human Hearing Lubner RJ, Kondamuri NS, Knoll RM, Ward BK, Littlefield PD, Rodgers D, Abdullah KG, Remenschneider AK, Kozin ED. Review of Audiovestibular Symptoms Following Exposure to Acoustic and Electromagnetic Energy Outside Conventional Human Hearing. Front Neurol. 2020 Apr 28;11:234. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00234. Abstract Objective: We aim to examine the existing literature on, and identify knowledge gaps in, the study of adverse animal and human audiovestibular effects from exposure to acoustic or electromagnetic waves that are outside of conventional human hearing. Design/Setting/Participants: A review was performed, which included searches of relevant MeSH terms using PubMed, Embase, and Scopus. Primary outcomes included documented auditory and/or vestibular signs or symptoms in animals or humans exposed to infrasound, ultrasound, radiofrequency, and magnetic resonance imaging. The references of these articles were then reviewed in order to identify primary sources and literature not captured by electronic search databases. Results: Infrasound and ultrasound acoustic waves have been described in the literature to result in audiovestibular symptomology following exposure. Technology emitting infrasound such as wind turbines and rocket engines have produced isolated reports of vestibular symptoms, including dizziness and nausea and auditory complaints, such as tinnitus following exposure. Occupational exposure to both low frequency and high frequency ultrasound has resulted in reports of wide-ranging audiovestibular symptoms, with less robust evidence of symptomology following modern-day exposure via new technology such as remote controls, automated door openers, and wireless phone chargers. Radiofrequency exposure has been linked to both auditory and vestibular dysfunction in animal models, with additional historical evidence of human audiovestibular disturbance following unquantifiable exposure. While several theories, such as the cavitation theory, have been postulated as a cause for symptomatology, there is extremely limited knowledge of the pathophysiology behind the adverse effects that particular exposure frequencies, intensities, and durations have on animals and humans. This has created a knowledge gap in which much of our understanding is derived from retrospective examination of patients who develop symptoms after postulated exposures. Conclusion and Relevance: Evidence for adverse human audiovestibular symptomology following exposure to acoustic waves and electromagnetic energy outside the spectrum of human hearing is largely rooted in case series or small cohort studies. Further research on the pathogenesis of audiovestibular dysfunction following acoustic exposure to these frequencies is critical to understand reported symptoms. Open access paper: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Machine Enhanced Logic

AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typereview

Effect directionharm

PopulationAnimals and humans (as described across included studies)

Sample sizeNot supplied

ExposureNot supplied

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 78% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

The review reports that infrasound and ultrasound exposures have been described to produce audiovestibular symptoms in the literature, with isolated reports linked to sources such as wind turbines and rocket engines and occupational ultrasound exposure. It also states that radiofrequency exposure has been linked to auditory and vestibular dysfunction in animal models, with historical human reports following unquantifiable exposure, and notes that evidence for adverse human symptoms is largely based on case series or small cohort studies with limited understanding of pathophysiology.

Outcomes measured

Auditory signs/symptoms
Vestibular signs/symptoms
Audiovestibular dysfunction (animal models and humans)
Dizziness
Nausea
Tinnitus

Limitations

Review; no quantitative synthesis described
Evidence for adverse human symptoms described as largely rooted in case series or small cohort studies
Human radiofrequency exposure described as unquantifiable in historical evidence
Extremely limited knowledge of pathophysiology and of effects by specific frequency, intensity, and duration
Understanding derived largely from retrospective examination after postulated exposures

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "review",
  "exposure": {
    "band": null,
    "source": null,
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": null
  },
  "population": "Animals and humans (as described across included studies)",
  "sample_size": null,
  "outcomes": [
    "Auditory signs/symptoms",
    "Vestibular signs/symptoms",
    "Audiovestibular dysfunction (animal models and humans)",
    "Dizziness",
    "Nausea",
    "Tinnitus"
  ],
  "main_findings": "The review reports that infrasound and ultrasound exposures have been described to produce audiovestibular symptoms in the literature, with isolated reports linked to sources such as wind turbines and rocket engines and occupational ultrasound exposure. It also states that radiofrequency exposure has been linked to auditory and vestibular dysfunction in animal models, with historical human reports following unquantifiable exposure, and notes that evidence for adverse human symptoms is largely based on case series or small cohort studies with limited understanding of pathophysiology.",
  "effect_direction": "harm",
  "limitations": [
    "Review; no quantitative synthesis described",
    "Evidence for adverse human symptoms described as largely rooted in case series or small cohort studies",
    "Human radiofrequency exposure described as unquantifiable in historical evidence",
    "Extremely limited knowledge of pathophysiology and of effects by specific frequency, intensity, and duration",
    "Understanding derived largely from retrospective examination after postulated exposures"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.78,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "audiovestibular",
    "infrasound",
    "ultrasound",
    "radiofrequency",
    "magnetic resonance imaging",
    "tinnitus",
    "dizziness",
    "nausea",
    "wind turbines",
    "occupational exposure",
    "wireless phone chargers"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "occupational-exposure",
      "weight": 0.6,
      "reason": "Mentions occupational exposure to low- and high-frequency ultrasound with reported audiovestibular symptoms."
    }
  ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00234
PubMed: Not supplied

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