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: 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: 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: In this Italian population, close proximity to high-voltage power lines was associated with an excess risk of childhood leukemia.

Residential exposure to magnetic fields from high-voltage power lines and risk of childhood leukemia / Malagoli, C.; Malavolti, M.; Wise, L. A.; Balboni, E.; Fabbi, S.; Teggi, S.; Palazzi, G.; Cellini, M.; Poli, M.; Zanichelli, P.; Notari, B.; Cherubini, A.; Vinceti, M.; Filippini, T.. - In: ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH. - ISSN 0013-9351. - 232:(2023), pp. 1-6. [10.1016/j.envres.2023.116320]

Residential exposure to magnetic fields from high-voltage power lines and risk of childhood leukemia

Malagoli C.;Malavolti M.;Balboni E.;Fabbi S.;Teggi S.;Palazzi G.;Vinceti M.;Filippini T.
2023

Abstract

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: 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: 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: In this Italian population, close proximity to high-voltage power lines was associated with an excess risk of childhood leukemia.
2023
232
1
6
Residential exposure to magnetic fields from high-voltage power lines and risk of childhood leukemia / Malagoli, C.; Malavolti, M.; Wise, L. A.; Balboni, E.; Fabbi, S.; Teggi, S.; Palazzi, G.; Cellini, M.; Poli, M.; Zanichelli, P.; Notari, B.; Cherubini, A.; Vinceti, M.; Filippini, T.. - In: ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH. - ISSN 0013-9351. - 232:(2023), pp. 1-6. [10.1016/j.envres.2023.116320]
Malagoli, C.; Malavolti, M.; Wise, L. A.; Balboni, E.; Fabbi, S.; Teggi, S.; Palazzi, G.; Cellini, M.; Poli, M.; Zanichelli, P.; Notari, B.; Cherubini...espandi
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Leuk_2.pdf

Accesso riservato

Tipologia: Versione pubblicata dall'editore
Dimensione 847.07 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
847.07 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia
Pubblicazioni consigliate

Licenza Creative Commons
I metadati presenti in IRIS UNIMORE sono rilasciati con licenza Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal, mentre i file delle pubblicazioni sono rilasciati con licenza Attribuzione 4.0 Internazionale (CC BY 4.0), salvo diversa indicazione.
In caso di violazione di copyright, contattare Supporto Iris

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11380/1308506
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 1
  • Scopus 7
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 6
social impact