Causal relationship between the duration of mobile phone use and risk of stroke: A Mendelian randomization study

Abstract

Category: Epidemiology Tags: mobile phone use, electromagnetic fields, stroke, Mendelian randomization, large artery atherosclerosis, public health, genetic epidemiology DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000044485 URL: journals.lww.com Overview This study investigates the causal relationship between the duration of mobile phone use (DMPU) and the risk of stroke using a Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. Independent single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from genome-wide association study (GWAS) datasets were used as instrumental variables to determine the effects of DMPU on various stroke types, including intracerebral hemorrhage, ischemic stroke, and its subtypes—cardioembolic infarction, small-vessel disease, and large artery atherosclerosis (LAAS). The primary MR method utilized was inverse-variance weighting, with additional sensitivity analyses performed. Findings - Ninety SNPs associated with stroke from GWAS datasets were selected as instrumental variables. - Inverse-variance weighted analysis demonstrated a significant causal link between DMPU and an increased risk of LAAS (odds ratio [OR] = 1.120; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.005-1.248; P = .040). - No significant genetic associations were observed for overall stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, ischemic stroke, cardioembolic infarction, or small-vessel disease. - MR-Egger regression suggested that multidimensionality was unlikely to bias the results, and tests for heterogeneity or asymmetry indicated robust findings. Conclusion The investigation confirmed a causal relationship between longer durations of mobile phone use and increased risk of LAAS—a subtype of stroke. These findings suggest implications for public health strategies and policy development addressing electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure from mobile devices. Importantly, this highlights a direct connection between environmental EMF exposure and specific cerebrovascular risks.

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

Using Mendelian randomization with GWAS-derived SNP instruments, longer duration of mobile phone use was associated with increased risk of large artery atherosclerosis stroke subtype (LAAS) (IVW OR=1.120, 95% CI 1.005–1.248; P=.040). No significant associations were observed for overall stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, ischemic stroke, cardioembolic infarction, small-vessel disease, or other assessed outcomes; sensitivity analyses (including MR-Egger and heterogeneity/asymmetry tests) were reported as robust.

Outcomes measured

• stroke (overall)
• intracerebral hemorrhage
• ischemic stroke
• cardioembolic infarction
• small-vessel disease
• large artery atherosclerosis (LAAS)

Suggested hubs

• mobile-phones-rf (0.9)
  Exposure is duration of mobile phone use; discusses EMF exposure from mobile devices.

{
    "study_type": "other",
    "exposure": {
        "band": null,
        "source": "mobile phone",
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "duration of mobile phone use (DMPU)"
    },
    "population": null,
    "sample_size": null,
    "outcomes": [
        "stroke (overall)",
        "intracerebral hemorrhage",
        "ischemic stroke",
        "cardioembolic infarction",
        "small-vessel disease",
        "large artery atherosclerosis (LAAS)"
    ],
    "main_findings": "Using Mendelian randomization with GWAS-derived SNP instruments, longer duration of mobile phone use was associated with increased risk of large artery atherosclerosis stroke subtype (LAAS) (IVW OR=1.120, 95% CI 1.005–1.248; P=.040). No significant associations were observed for overall stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, ischemic stroke, cardioembolic infarction, small-vessel disease, or other assessed outcomes; sensitivity analyses (including MR-Egger and heterogeneity/asymmetry tests) were reported as robust.",
    "effect_direction": "mixed",
    "limitations": [],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.66000000000000003108624468950438313186168670654296875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "mobile phone use",
        "electromagnetic fields",
        "stroke",
        "Mendelian randomization",
        "genetic epidemiology",
        "large artery atherosclerosis",
        "GWAS",
        "inverse-variance weighting"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "mobile-phones-rf",
            "weight": 0.90000000000000002220446049250313080847263336181640625,
            "reason": "Exposure is duration of mobile phone use; discusses EMF exposure from mobile devices."
        }
    ]
}

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