DO MOBILE CELLULAR PHONES IN THE EUROPEAN C-NET AND D-NET POSE A POTENTIAL RISK TO PATIENTS WITH IMPLANTED CARDIAC-PACEMAKERS

Objective: To investigate prospectively the extent of potentially harm ful interference of cardiac pacemakers by mobile phones in the C (anal og) and D (digital) networks in use in Germany. Patients and methods: 104 patients (54 men, 50 women; mean age 75.8 [40-100] years) with 58 different implanted pacemaker models (43 one-chamber and 15 two-chambe r systems) underwent uniform tests at various functional states with t hree different telephones (D1 portable 8 Watt, D1 Handy model 2 Watt, C Handy model 0.5 Watt). The distances between telephone aerial and pa cemaker, as well as reception sensitivity and polarity of the pacemake r were varied. All tests were done during continuous ECG monitoring. R esults: 28 different pacemaker types (48.3%) in 43 patients (41.3%) sh owed interference in the form of pacemaker inhibition and switching to interference frequencies as well as triggering of pacemaker-mediated tachycardias in the DDD mode, as well as in the temperature-regulated frequency-adaptive function. D portables influenced pacemaker function more often and at greater distance than the D Handy model, which was little different from the c network hand phone. Reduction in pacemaker sensitivity as well as switching to bipolar reception only partly eli minated the interference. Conclusions: Patients with implanted pacemak ers should if possible not use mobile phones in the C and D networks. Individual testing with suitable programming of pacemaker sensitivity and polarity can reduce the risk of interference.