Cell phone usage and erectile function

The Influence of Smartphone Screen Time on Acquired Premature Ejaculation: A Prospective Preliminary Study

This prospective study is aimed at investigating the relationship between smartphone screen time and the intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) in patients with acquired PE and to contribute to the literature. Thirty patients who had been diagnosed with acquired PE in our clinic between March 2022 and May 2022 were included in the study. Carrying similar demographic characteristics to the patient group, a total of 30 healthy volunteers were included as the control group. Patients who were using Huawei or iPhone brand of smartphones and who had data of at least one week of screen time were included in the study. The data were collected from the applications on the phones. PE was evaluated using PEDT, the Turkish validation of which had been carried out. The patients and the controls also underwent the application of the Quality-of-Life Questionnaire-Short Form (SF-36), which has also been validated for Turkish. The patients and the controls were compared with regard to smartphone screen time, IELT, PEDT scores, and the SF-36 scores. The mean screen time was found to be statistically significantly higher in the PE group compared to that of controls ( $336\pm 137\min /\text{day}$ , $246\pm 76.4\min /\text{day}$ , respectively, $p=0.045$ ). In the correlation analysis between the IELT and the PEDT scores of the patients, a significant negative correlation was found between the screen time and the IELT, and a significant positive correlation was found between the screen time and the mean PEDT scores ( $p<0.001$ , $p<0.001$ , respectively). Our results showed that smartphone screen time negatively affected the IELT values and PE severity in patients with acquired PE.

Erectile Dysfunction and Infertility: A Pilot Study in Male Partners of Infertile Couples

Background: Erectile dysfunction (ED) and infertility are important health concerns with negative impacts on the quality of life and couple’s relationship, which is emerging as an early marker for decreased general health. Objectives: This pilot study intended to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of erectile dysfunction in men of infertile couples referred to an in vitro fertility center in northern Vietnam. Methods: A total of 138 men of infertile couples were enrolled in this study from January to May 2018. The International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire scale was used to evaluate the severity of ED. Also, several related factors were collected to determine potential risk factors. Results: The prevalence of ED among was 18.1%, including 13 mild ED (9.4%), 7 mild to moderate ED (5.1%), 2 moderate ED (1.4%), and 1 severe ED (0.7%). The logistic regression analysis showed that risk factors associated ED were smoking > 5 pack/years (OR = 3.16, CI = 0.98 - 10.18; P = 0.05), not graduating from junior high school (OR = 5.11; CI = 1.11 - 23.8; P = 0.03) and azoospermia (OR = 7.55; CI = 2.18 - 26.16; P = 0.001). We observed relatively high OR in men with smoking < 5 pack/years (OR = 2.51) and abnormal semen analysis (hypospermia, oligozoospermia, asthenozoospermia, or teratozoospermia) (OR = 2.36), but there was no significant difference compared to the reference group. Conclusions: In the present study, the prevalence of ED among men of infertile couples was higher than non-infertile men. Low level of education, smoking for a long period, and azoospermia were the main risk factors of ED in men. Further large-scale studies are needed to extend the results.

Mobile phone use, school electromagnetic field levels and related symptoms: a cross-sectional survey among 2150 high school students in Izmir

BACKGROUND

Health outcomes of electromagnetic fields (EMF) from mobile phones and their base stations are of concern. Conducting multidisciplinary research, targeting children and exploring dose-response are recommended. Our objectives were to describe the mobile phone usage characteristics of high school students and to explore the association between mobile phone usage characteristics, high school EMF levels and self-reported symptoms.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study's data were collected by a survey questionnaire and by measuring school EMF levels between November 2009 and April 2011. A sample size of 2530 was calculated from a total of 20,493 students in 26 high schools and 2150 (85.0%) were included in the analysis. The frequencies of 23 symptoms were questioned and analysed according to 16 different aspects of mobile phone use and school EMF levels, exploring also dose-response. School EMF levels were measured with Aaronia Spectran HF-4060 device. Chi square and trend tests were used for univariate and logistic regression was used for multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

Among participants, 2021 (94.0%) were using mobile phones and 129 (6.0%) were not. Among users, 49.4% were speaking <10 min and 52.2% were sending/receiving 75 or more messages per day. Headache, fatigue and sleep disturbances were observed respectively 1.90 (95% CI 1.30-2.77), 1.78 (1.21-2.63) and 1.53 (1.05-2.21) times more among mobile phone users. Dose-response relationships were observed especially for the number of calls per day, total duration of calls per day, total number of text messages per day, position and status of mobile phone at night and making calls while charging as exposures and headache, concentration difficulties, fatigue and sleep disturbances as general symptoms and warming of the ear and flushing as local symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

We found an association between mobile phone use and especially headache, concentration difficulties, fatigue, sleep disturbances and warming of the ear showing also dose-response. We have found limited associations between vicinity to base stations and some general symptoms; however, we did not find any association with school EMF levels. Decreasing the numbers of calls and messages, decreasing the duration of calls, using earphones, keeping the phone away from the head and body and similar precautions might decrease the frequencies or prevalence of the symptoms.

The influence of direct mobile phone radiation on sperm quality

Introduction

It is impossible to imagine a modern socially–active man who does not use mobile devices and/or computers with Wi–Fi function. The effect of mobile phone radiation on male fertility is the subject of recent interest and investigations. The aim of this study was to investigate the direct in vitro influence of mobile phone radiation on sperm DNA fragmentation and motility parameters in healthy subjects with normozoospermia.

Material and methods

32 healthy men with normal semen parameters were selected for the study. Each sperm sample was divided into two equal portions (A and B). Portions A of all involved men were placed for 5 hours in a thermostat, and portions B were placed into a second thermostat for the same period of time, where a mobile phone in standby/talk mode was placed. After 5 hours of incubation the sperm samples from both thermostats were re–evaluated regarding basic motility parameters. The presence of DNA fragmentation in both A and B portions of each sample was determined each hour using a standard sperm chromatin dispersion test.

Results

The number of spermatozoa with progressive movement in the group, influenced by electromagnetic radiation, is statistically lower than the number of spermatozoa with progressive movement in the group under no effect of the mobile phone. The number of non–progressive movement spermatozoa was significantly higher in the group, which was influenced by cell phone radiation. The DNA fragmentation was also significantly higher in this group.

Conclusions

A correlation exists between mobile phone radiation exposure, DNA–fragmentation level and decreased sperm motility.