Study type:
Epidemiological study
(observational study)
A pooled analysis of magnetic fields, wire codes, and childhood leukemia. Childhood Leukemia-EMF Study Group
epidem.
By:
Greenland S, Sheppard AR, Kaune WT, Poole C, Kelsh MA
Published in: Epidemiology 2000; 11 (6): 624-634
Aim of study (acc. to author)
The association between 50/60 Hz magnetic fields and childhood leukemia was investigated. For this purpose a pooled analysis was conducted on the primary data from fifteen studies carried out in England (Coghill et al.), New Zealand (Dockerty et al.), Mexico (Fajardo-Gutierrez et al., report published in Spanish), Sweden (Feychting et al.), Rhode Island/USA (Fulton et al.), Ontario/Canada (Green et al.), Eastern USA (Linet et al.), Los Angeles/USA (London et al.), Canada (McBride), Germany (Michaelis et al.), Denmark (Olsen et al.), Denver/USA (Savitz et al.), Sweden (Tomenius), Norway (Tynes et al.), Finland (Verkasalo et al.), and Denver/USA (Wertheimer et al.).
Further details
Endpoint/type of risk estimation
Type of risk estimation:
(odds ratio (OR))
Exposure
Assessment
Exposure groups
|
Group
|
Description
|
|
Reference group 1
|
magnetic field category: ≤ 0.1 µT
|
|
Group 2
|
magnetic field category: > 0.1 - ≤ 0.2 µT
|
|
Group 3
|
magnetic field category: > 0.2 - ≤ 0.3 µT
|
|
Group 4
|
magnetic field category: > 0.3 µT
|
|
Reference group 5
|
low current code LCC (includes ordinary low current, very low current and underground)
|
|
Group 6
|
ordinary high current code (OHCC)
|
|
Group 7
|
very high current code (VHCC)
|
Population
-
Group:
-
Age:
0–14 years
-
Characteristics:
childhood leukemia
-
Study location:
USA, Canada, England, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, Denmark, New Zealand, Mexico
Study size
| Type |
Value |
| Participants |
13,159 |
Statistical analysis method:
- logistic regression
- inverse-variance weighted method, Mantel-Haenszel method, maximum-likelihood tabular method
(
adjustment:
)
Results (acc. to author)
The magnetic field estimates tend to show little or no association of fields below 0.3 µT with childhood leukemia, but all studies with cases and controls in the categorie more than 0.3 µT showed positive associations. The association of wire codes with childhood leukemia varied considerably across the studies (odds ratios ranging vom 0.7 to 3.0), therefore summary estimates were omitted due to the extensive unexplained heterogeneity. The results of the pooled analysis suggested that appreciable magnetic field effects, if any, may be concentrated among relatively high and uncommon exposures.
Study funded by
-
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), North Carolina, USA
-
Southern California Edison (SCE), USA
Comments on this article
-
Jaffa KC
(2001):
Pooled analysis of magnetic fields, wire codes, and childhood leukemia
-
Vastag B
(2001):
Electromagnetic fields in homes carry leukaemia risk for children, WHO agency says
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