Cutaneous microcirculation is not altered by a weak 50 Hz magnetic field

Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EH) is an increasing problem in modern industrial societies. As crawling sensations are frequently mentioned by EH patients alterations in cutaneous microcirculation possibly linked to exposure to magnetic fields might be involved in the development of such sensations and further dysesthesias. In seven healthy volunteers and in three persons convinced to suffer from EH the microcirculation of the right thumb was determined by laser-Doppler-flowmetry (LDF) during exposure to circularly polarized 50 Hz magnetic flux densities of 96 mT. During field exposure the LDF values remained constant. The LDF ratio "field on/field off" was found to be 1.03 +/- 0.03. In contrast, reactive hyperemia and hyperventilation caused significant changes in the LDF values of volunteers as well as of EH patients. Following arterial congestion of the forearm microcirculation of the thumb was clearly increased during reperfusion, and the LDF values were elevated up to 2.02 +/- 0.36. 10 deep breaths caused a significant decrease in the LDF values up to 0.63 +/- 0.18. In conclusion, reactive hyperemia and hyperventilation caused clear alterations of cutaneous microcirculation, whereas, 50 Hz magnetic fields had no influence on cutaneous microcirculation.