Causal relationship between duration of mobile phone use and risk of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: A 2-sample Mendelian randomization analysis

Medicine (Baltimore) · 2025 · Harm · Low evidence

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HarmLow evidencePaper 2476

Study snapshot

PublicationMedicine (Baltimore) · 2025

Study typecohort

Reported directionHarm

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Category: Epidemiology Tags: mobile phone use, electromagnetic fields, aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, Mendelian randomization, genetic epidemiology, risk factors, public health DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000046053 URL: journals.lww.com Overview This study investigates whether the duration of mobile phone use (DMPU) is causally associated with the risk of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). - Data were pooled from publicly available genome-wide association studies in European populations (n = 456,972). - Genome-wide association study data on patients with aSAH were obtained from the Common Metabolic Disease Knowledge Portal (total n = 337,159; cases = 7,480; controls = 329,679). - Twenty-three significant single nucleotide polymorphisms were selected as instrumental variables for DMPU. Findings - The primary Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis suggested a causal relationship between excessive DMPU and increased risk of aSAH (odds ratio [OR] = 2.20; 95% confidence interval: 1.26-3.83; P = .006). - MR-Egger regression indicated directional pleiotropy was unlikely to bias results (OR = 12.93; 95% CI: 1.15-145.31; P = .051). - The weighted median method further supported the causal relationship (OR = 2.48; 95% CI: 1.17-5.24; P = .018). - No heterogeneity or asymmetry was observed, confirming the robustness of the findings. Conclusion This study provides evidence supporting a causal relationship between excessive mobile phone use and an increased risk of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Excessive mobile phone use may increase the risk of this severe brain bleed, which has significant implications for clinical practice, public health, and policy. Plain Language Summary Researchers analyzed genetic data from large European studies and found that using mobile phones for long periods may indeed increase the risk of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). The findings, derived from Mendelian randomization methods, suggest that heavy mobile phone use could be a risk factor for aSAH, underscoring important healthcare and public health implications. Key Points - This study uses robust MR methods to examine a potential causal association between mobile phone use and the risk of aSAH, adding a new understanding of the health risks posed by electromagnetic field exposure from mobile devices. - Evidence supports the need for clinical and public health policies addressing this risk and provides rationale for further studies into the mechanisms of causality.

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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 typecohort

Effect directionharm

PopulationEuropean populations (GWAS participants; aSAH cases and controls)

Sample size337159

Exposureduration of mobile phone use (DMPU); excessive/long periods

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 66% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

In a 2-sample Mendelian randomization analysis using 23 SNPs as instrumental variables for duration of mobile phone use, genetically proxied excessive duration of mobile phone use was associated with increased risk of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (primary MR OR=2.20, 95% CI 1.26–3.83; P=.006). Weighted median results were consistent (OR=2.48, 95% CI 1.17–5.24; P=.018), and the authors report no heterogeneity or asymmetry; MR-Egger suggested directional pleiotropy was unlikely to bias results (P=.051).

Outcomes measured

aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) risk

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "cohort",
  "exposure": {
    "band": null,
    "source": "mobile phone",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "duration of mobile phone use (DMPU); excessive/long periods"
  },
  "population": "European populations (GWAS participants; aSAH cases and controls)",
  "sample_size": 337159,
  "outcomes": [
    "aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) risk"
  ],
  "main_findings": "In a 2-sample Mendelian randomization analysis using 23 SNPs as instrumental variables for duration of mobile phone use, genetically proxied excessive duration of mobile phone use was associated with increased risk of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (primary MR OR=2.20, 95% CI 1.26–3.83; P=.006). Weighted median results were consistent (OR=2.48, 95% CI 1.17–5.24; P=.018), and the authors report no heterogeneity or asymmetry; MR-Egger suggested directional pleiotropy was unlikely to bias results (P=.051).",
  "effect_direction": "harm",
  "limitations": [],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.66,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "mobile phone use",
    "electromagnetic fields",
    "aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage",
    "Mendelian randomization",
    "genetic epidemiology",
    "risk factors",
    "public health"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "mobile-phones-rf",
      "weight": 0.9,
      "reason": "Exposure is duration of mobile phone use, discussed as EMF exposure from mobile devices."
    }
  ]
}

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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: 10.1097/md.0000000000046053
PubMed: Not supplied

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