Residential exposure to magnetic fields from high-voltage power lines and risk of childhood leukemia.
Case-control study
Childhood leukemia
High-voltage power lines
Magnetic fields
Risk factors
Journal
Environmental research
ISSN: 1096-0953
Titre abrégé: Environ Res
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 0147621
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
01 Sep 2023
01 Sep 2023
Historique:
received:
06
05
2023
revised:
31
05
2023
accepted:
01
06
2023
medline:
17
7
2023
pubmed:
5
6
2023
entrez:
4
6
2023
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Several studies have suggested an excess risk of leukemia among children living close to high-voltage power lines and exposed to magnetic fields. However, not all studies have yielded consistent results, and many studies may have been susceptible to confounding and exposure misclassification. We conducted a case-control study to investigate the risk of leukemia associated with magnetic field exposure from high-voltage power lines. Eligible participants were children aged 0-15 years residing in the Northern Italian provinces of Modena and Reggio Emilia. We included all 182 registry-identified childhood leukemia cases diagnosed in 1998-2019, and 726 age-, sex- and province-matched population controls. We assessed exposure by calculating distance from house to nearest power line and magnetic field intensity modelling at the subjects' residence. We used conditional logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), with adjustment for potential confounders (distance from nearest petrol station and fuel supply within the 1000 m-buffer, traffic-related particulate and benzene concentrations, presence of indoor transformers, percentage of urban area and arable crops). In multivariable analyses, the OR comparing children living <100 m from high-voltage power-lines with children living ≥400 m from power-lines was 2.0 (95% CI 0.8-5.0). Results did not differ substantially by age at disease diagnosis, disease subtype, or when exposure was based on modeled magnetic field intensity, though estimates were imprecise. Spline regression analysis showed an excess risk for both overall leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia among children with residential distances <100 m from power lines, with a monotonic inverse association below this cutpoint. In this Italian population, close proximity to high-voltage power lines was associated with an excess risk of childhood leukemia.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Several studies have suggested an excess risk of leukemia among children living close to high-voltage power lines and exposed to magnetic fields. However, not all studies have yielded consistent results, and many studies may have been susceptible to confounding and exposure misclassification.
METHODS
METHODS
We conducted a case-control study to investigate the risk of leukemia associated with magnetic field exposure from high-voltage power lines. Eligible participants were children aged 0-15 years residing in the Northern Italian provinces of Modena and Reggio Emilia. We included all 182 registry-identified childhood leukemia cases diagnosed in 1998-2019, and 726 age-, sex- and province-matched population controls. We assessed exposure by calculating distance from house to nearest power line and magnetic field intensity modelling at the subjects' residence. We used conditional logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), with adjustment for potential confounders (distance from nearest petrol station and fuel supply within the 1000 m-buffer, traffic-related particulate and benzene concentrations, presence of indoor transformers, percentage of urban area and arable crops).
RESULTS
RESULTS
In multivariable analyses, the OR comparing children living <100 m from high-voltage power-lines with children living ≥400 m from power-lines was 2.0 (95% CI 0.8-5.0). Results did not differ substantially by age at disease diagnosis, disease subtype, or when exposure was based on modeled magnetic field intensity, though estimates were imprecise. Spline regression analysis showed an excess risk for both overall leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia among children with residential distances <100 m from power lines, with a monotonic inverse association below this cutpoint.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
In this Italian population, close proximity to high-voltage power lines was associated with an excess risk of childhood leukemia.
Identifiants
pubmed: 37271435
pii: S0013-9351(23)01124-6
doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116320
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
116320Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Dr. Wise is a consultant for AbbVie Inc, and the Gates Foundation. Her institution also receives NIH funding for studies outside of this work. Finally, Dr. Wise receives in-kind donations for primary data collection in the PRESTO cohort (Swiss Precision Diagnostics and Kindara.com). All other authors declare that they have no competing interests.