Epidemiological study (observational study)

Residential Distance to High-voltage Power Lines and Risk of Neurodegenerative Diseases: a Danish Population-based Case-Control Study epidem.

By: Frei P, Poulsen AH, Mezei G, Pedersen C, Cronberg Salem L, Johansen C, Röösli M, Schüz J

Published in: Am J Epidemiol 2013; 177 (9): 970-978

Aim of study (acc. to author)

A case-control study was conducted in Denmark to investigate the possible association between residential distance to high-voltage power lines and neurodegenerative diseases, especially Alzheimer disease.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

neurodegenerative diseases: Alzheimer disease, vascular dementia, other dementia, Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis, and motor neuron disease (including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)

Type of risk estimation:

incidence

(hazard ratio)

Exposure

Assessment

calculation: distance of residences (geocoded address history dating back to 20 years before diagnosis) to closest power line

Exposure groups

Group	Description
Reference group 1	residential distance of 132 to 400 kV power lines: ≥ 600 m
Group 2	residential distance of 132 to 400 kV power lines: 200 - < 600 m
Group 3	residential distance of 132 to 400 kV power lines: 50 - < 200 m
Group 4	residential distance of 132 to 400 kV power lines: 0 - < 50 m

Population

Group:
- men
- women
Age: ≥ 20 years
Observation period: 1994 - 2010
Study location: Denmark

Case group

Characteristics: patients with neurodegenerative disease in the total population of Denmark ((approximately 5.5 million inhabitants)
Data source: Danish National Board of Health
Exclusion criteria: inhabitants of Greenland and the Faroe Islands, patients with early-onset dementia (first diagnosed at the age below 65 years)

Control group

Selection:
- registry-based
Matching:
- sex
- age
- case:control = 1:6

Statistical analysis method:

conditional logistic regression

(adjustment:

education
marital status, income, number of floors in residential building, urbanization category (urban/rural)

)

Results (acc. to author)

The risks for developing dementia, Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis, and motor neuron disease were not increased in persons living within close vicinity of a power line in the time period 5-20 years before diagnosis. The risk of Alzheimer disease was not increased forever living within 50 m of a power line (hazard ratio 1.04, CI 0.69-1.56). No dose-response relationship according to number of years of living within 50 m of a power line was observed, but there were weak indications of an increased risk for persons diagnosed by the age of 75 years.
The authors concluded that there was little support for an association between neurodegenerative disease and living close to power lines.

Study funded by

Danish Graduate School Network in Public Health Science (GRASPH), Denmark
Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), USA
Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)

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