Increasing levels of saliva alpha amylase in electrohypersensitive (EHS) patients

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the level of various salivary and urinary markers of patients with electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) and to compare them with those of a healthy control group.

Materials and methods: We analyzed samples from 30 EHS individuals and a matched control group of 25 individuals (non-EHS) aged between 22 and 66. We quantified cortisol both in saliva and urine, alpha amylase (sAA), immunoglobulin A and C Reactive Protein levels in saliva and neopterin in urine (uNeopterin).

Results: sAA was found to be significantly higher (p < 0.005) in the EHS group. uNeopterin and sAA analysis showed a significant difference based on the duration of EHS.

Conclusion: Higher levels of sAA in EHS participants may suggest that the sympathetic adrenal medullar system is activated. However, most of the analyzed markers of the immune system, sympathetic activity and circadian rhythm did not vary significantly in the EHS group. There is a trend to the higher levels of some variables in subgroups according to the EHS duration.

Keywords:

• IEI-EMF
• EMF
• alpha amylase
• markers
• symptoms
• electromagnetic fields
• environmental illness
• saliva

Acknowledgements

This project was financed by a grant from the French National Research Program for Environmental and Occupational Health of ANSES (Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail) (Project no. 2013-2-02). The authors thank all volunteers for their participation and also thank Kelly Blazy and Maïté Hanot-Roy for their contribution on ELISA analysis.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Notes on contributors

S. Andrianome is a PhD student in the Department of Experimental Toxicology, INERIS.

L. Hugueville is a research engineer at the CENIR, Pitié Salpêtrière Hospital.

R. De Seze is a senior research scientist in the Department of Experimental Toxicology, INERIS.

B. Selmaoui is a senior research scientist and director of research in the Department of Experimental Toxicology, INERIS.

Additional information

Funding

This project was financed by a grant from the French National Research Program for Environmental and Occupational Health of ANSES (Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail) (Project no. 2013-2-02).