Epidemiological study (observational study)

Childhood cancer and exposure to corona ions from power lines: an epidemiological test epidem.

By: Swanson J, Bunch KJ, Vincent TJ, Murphy MF

Published in: J Radiol Prot 2014; 34 (4): 873-889

Aim of study (acc. to author)

The authors previously reported an association between childhood leukemia in Great Britain and proximity of the child's address at birth to high-voltage power lines that declines from the 1960s to the 2000s (Bunch et al., 2014). In the present study they tested whether the corona-ion hypothesis could explain these results.

Further details

Corona ions are atmospheric ions produced by electric fields of the power lines and blown away from them by the wind. The corona-ion hypothesis proposes that corona ions attach themselves to airborne pollutants and increase the charge on those pollutant particles. Thereby more of these airborne pollutants could be retained in the airways when breathed in and hence cause disease. Therefore in this context, children living downwind of high-voltage power lines would be at increased risk of childhood leukemia produced by the electrically charged airborne pollutants.
An improved model for calculating exposure to corona ions, using data on winds (wind direction and wind speed) from 8 meteorological stations in Wales and England was developed under consideration of the whole length of power line within 600 m of each subject's address.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

Type of risk estimation:

incidence

(relative risk (RR))

Exposure

- 50/60 Hz
- electric field
- also other exposures without EMF
- power transmission line
- residential
- co-exposure

Assessment

calculation: model to calculate exposure to corona ions for each subject including parameters: source-strength consisting of line design, voltage, number and size of conductors, propensity of different power lines to produce ions, concentration of corona ions in relation to distance to power line, wind direction and wind-speed; calculations for points at 10 m intervals for each address and for lengths of line within 600 m

Exposure groups

Group	Description
Reference group 1	no exposure and distance between residence and the nearest power line > 600 m
Group 2	calculated exposure: 1st quartile
Group 3	calculated exposure: 2ndt quartile
Group 4	calculated exposure: 3rd quartile
Group 5	calculated exposure: 4th quartile

Population

Group:
- children
Age: 0–14 years
Observation period: 1962 - 2008
Study location: UK (England and Wales)

Case group

Characteristics: children with cancer
Data source: UK National Registry of Childhood Tumours

Control group

Selection:
- population-based
Matching:
- sex
- age
- birth registration sub-district
- case:control = 1:1

Study size

	Cases	Controls
Eligible	53,515	-

Statistical analysis method:

conditional logistic regression

Results (acc. to author)

Overall, 7347 children have been living within 600 m to power lines.
Corona-ion exposure is highly correlated with proximity to power lines, and therefore the results parallel the elevations in childhood leukemia risk seen with distance in the previous publication by Bunch et al (2014). But the model explains the observed pattern of leukemia rates around power lines less well than straightforward distance measurements. This does not disprove the corona-ion hypothesis as the explanation for the previous results, but nor does it provide support for it, or, by extension, any other hypothesis dependent on wind direction.

Study funded by

CHILDREN with CANCER UK
United Kingdom Department of Health Radiation Protection Programme

Comments on this article

Swanson J et al. (2015): Reply to 'Comment on: Childhood cancer and exposure to corona ions from power lines: an epidemiological study'
Jeffers D (2015): Comment on: Childhood cancer and exposure to corona ions from power lines: an epidemiological study

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