Pooled analysis of recent studies of magnetic fields and childhood leukemia
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Over forty epidemiologic studies have addressed an association between measured or calculated extremely-low-frequency magnetic fields (MF) and childhood leukemia. These studies have been aggregated in a series of pooled analyses, but it has been 10 years since the last such.
METHODS: We present a pooled analysis combining individual-level data (24,994 cases, 30,769 controls) from four recent studies on MF and childhood leukemia.
RESULTS: Unlike previous pooled analyses, we found no increased risk of leukemia among children exposed to greater MF: odds ratio (OR) = 1.01, for exposure ≥0.4 μT (μT) compared with exposures <0.1 μT. Similarly, no association was observed in the subset of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, birth homes, studies using calculated fields, or when geocoding accuracy was ignored. In these studies, there is a decline in risk over time, also evident when we compare three pooled analyses. A meta-analysis of the three pooled analyses overall presents an OR of 1.45 (95% CI: 0.95-2.20) for exposures ≥0.4 μT.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results are not in line with previous pooled analysis and show a decrease in effect to no association between MF and childhood leukemia. This could be due to methodological issues, random chance, or a true finding of disappearing effect.
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Combining in silico and in vitro approaches to identification of potent inhibitor against phospholipase A2 (PLA2)
- In silico and in vitro studies: investigating the chemical composition, DFT, molecular docking, and dynamic simulation of Satureja candidissima (Munby) Briq essential oil as a potential antibacterial agent
- Quercetin combined with ciprofloxacin and gentamicin inhibits biofilm formation and virulence in Staphylococcus aureus
- In silico study of the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties of some N-methylanthranilates and their analogs
- Anticonvulsant Effects of Citronellal, Daidzin, and Phytol, Possibly Through GABAA Receptor and Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Interaction Pathways: In Vivo and In Silico Studies
- 2-Phenylcyclopropylmethylamine (PCPMA) Derivatives as D3R-Selective Ligands for 3D-QSAR, Docking and Molecular Dynamics Simulation Studies
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.