Analysis of the mobile phone effect on the heart rate variability by the calculation of correlation dimension

Abstract

In this work, the effect of the electromagnetic radiation generated by mobile phone, on the heart rate variability (HRV) has been investigated using correlation dimension calculation which is a nonlinear analysis method. The 17 volunteer subjects participated to our work and the experiment is designed as three periods and each period have 7 minutes. The electrocardiogram (ECG) signals were recorded from volunteers who are in the sitting position between the base station and mobile phone and mobile phone attached to the right ear of the subject by a bone. The mobile phone is continuously called by another mobile phone at the second period for 9 subjects and at the third period for 8 subjects, randomly. Mobile phone was open and standby condition, at the other periods. The HRV signals were obtained from ECG signals and correlation dimension analysis has been performed. The student-t test was applied to the correlation dimension values calculated from mobile phone calling and standby conditions. The correlation dimension that belongs to mobile phone calling condition is found higher than mobile phone standby condition (p<0.05). The correlation dimension gives the minimum number of independent variables necessary to generate the system dynamics. The results show that the number of variables managed to the cardiovascular system behavior increase by reason of electromagnetic radiation generated by mobile phone.