Article
Leukemia in electric utility workers: The evaluation of alternative indices of exposure to 60 Hz electric and magnetic fields
Article first published online: 27 APR 2000
DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0274(200006)37:6<607::AID-AJIM5>3.0.CO;2-L
Copyright © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
1097-0274/asset/cover.gif?v=1&s=e0f33b687598b5adbbbced84abe7a827fb4a7d56 "American Journal of Industrial Medicine")
Additional Information
How to Cite
Villeneuve, P. J., Agnew, D. A., Miller, A. B., Corey, P. N. and Purdham, J. T. (2000), Leukemia in electric utility workers: The evaluation of alternative indices of exposure to 60 Hz electric and magnetic fields. Am. J. Ind. Med., 37: 607–617. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0274(200006)37:6<607::AID-AJIM5>3.0.CO;2-L
Publication History
- Issue published online: 27 APR 2000
- Article first published online: 27 APR 2000
- Manuscript Accepted: 10 JAN 2000
Keywords:
- electric fields;
- magnetic fields;
- leukemia;
- exposure assessment;
- cancer promoter
Abstract
Background
Epidemiological studies have inconsistently demonstrated a positive relationship between magnetic and/or electric fields and leukemia. Although exposure to both 60 Hz electric and magnetic fields can be characterized in many ways, to date, risk assessment has been performed by using only a limited number of exposure indices.
Methods
The associations between adult leukemia and indices of electric and magnetic fields were explored within a nested case-control study of 31,453 Ontario electric utility workers.
Results
The percentage of time spent above electric field thresholds of 20 and 39 V/m was predictive of leukemia risk after adjusting for duration of employment and the arithmetic mean exposure to both electric and magnetic fields (P < 0.05). Duration of employment was strongly associated with an increased risk of leukemia. Those who had worked for at least 20 years, and were in the highest tertiles of percentage of time spent above 10 and 20 V/m had odds ratios of 10.17 (95% CI = 1.58–65.30) and 8.23 (95% CI = 1.24–54.43), respectively, when compared to those in the lowest tertile. Nonsignificant elevations in risk were observed between indices of magnetic fields and leukemia.
Conclusions
Our results support the hypothesis that electric fields act as a promoting agent in the etiology of adult leukemia. Exposure assessment based on alternate indices of electric and magnetic fields should be incorporated into future occupational studies of cancer. Am. J. Ind. Med. 37:607–617, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.