TY - JOUR
T1 - Nighttime exposure to electromagnetic fields and childhood leukemia: an extended pooled analysis
AU - Schüz, Joachim
AU - Svendsen, Anne Louise
AU - Linet, Martha S
AU - McBride, Mary L
AU - Roman, Eve
AU - Feychting, Maria
AU - Kheifets, Leeka
AU - Lightfoot, Tracy
AU - Mezei, Gabor
AU - Simpson, Jill
AU - Ahlbom, Anders
N1 - Keywords: Canada; Case-Control Studies; Child; Circadian Rhythm; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology); Electromagnetic Fields; Environmental Exposure; Germany; Great Britain; Humans; Leukemia, Radiation-Induced; Odds Ratio; Sleep; United States
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - It has been hypothesized that nighttime bedroom measurements of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF EMF) may represent a more accurate reflection of exposure and have greater biologic relevance than previously used 24-/48-hour measurements. Accordingly, the authors extended a pooled analysis of case-control studies on ELF EMF exposure and risk of childhood leukemia to examine nighttime residential exposures. Data from four countries (Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States) were included in the analysis, comprising 1,842 children diagnosed with leukemia and 3,099 controls (diagnosis dates ranged from 1988 to 1996). The odds ratios for nighttime ELF EMF exposure for categories of 0.1-<0.2 microT, 0.2-<0.4 microT, and >or=0.4 microT as compared with <0.1 microT were 1.11 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.91, 1.36), 1.37 (95% CI: 0.99, 1.90), and 1.93 (95% CI: 1.11, 3.35), respectively. The fact that these estimates were similar to those derived using 24-/48-hour geometric mean values (odds ratios of 1.09, 1.20, and 1.98, respectively) indicates that the nighttime component cannot, on its own, account for the pattern observed. These results do not support the hypotheses that nighttime measures are more appropriate; hence, the observed association between ELF EMF and childhood leukemia still lacks a plausible explanation.
AB - It has been hypothesized that nighttime bedroom measurements of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF EMF) may represent a more accurate reflection of exposure and have greater biologic relevance than previously used 24-/48-hour measurements. Accordingly, the authors extended a pooled analysis of case-control studies on ELF EMF exposure and risk of childhood leukemia to examine nighttime residential exposures. Data from four countries (Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States) were included in the analysis, comprising 1,842 children diagnosed with leukemia and 3,099 controls (diagnosis dates ranged from 1988 to 1996). The odds ratios for nighttime ELF EMF exposure for categories of 0.1-<0.2 microT, 0.2-<0.4 microT, and >or=0.4 microT as compared with <0.1 microT were 1.11 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.91, 1.36), 1.37 (95% CI: 0.99, 1.90), and 1.93 (95% CI: 1.11, 3.35), respectively. The fact that these estimates were similar to those derived using 24-/48-hour geometric mean values (odds ratios of 1.09, 1.20, and 1.98, respectively) indicates that the nighttime component cannot, on its own, account for the pattern observed. These results do not support the hypotheses that nighttime measures are more appropriate; hence, the observed association between ELF EMF and childhood leukemia still lacks a plausible explanation.
U2 - 10.1093/aje/kwm080
DO - 10.1093/aje/kwm080
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 17485729
SN - 0002-9262
VL - 166
SP - 263
EP - 269
JO - American Journal of Epidemiology
JF - American Journal of Epidemiology
IS - 3
ER -