Epidemiological study (observational study)

Leukaemia and residence near electricity transmission equipment: a case-control study epidem.

By: Coleman MP, Bell CM, Taylor HL, Primic-Zakelj M

Published in: Br J Cancer 1989; 60 (5): 793-798

Aim of study (acc. to author)

A case-control study was conducted in south-east England to investigate the association between leukaemia and residence near electricity transmission equipment.

Endpoint/type of risk estimation

leukemia and lymphoma: acute lymphoid leukemia, chronic lymphoid leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, and chronic myeloid leukemia

Type of risk estimation:

incidence

(relative risk (RR))

Exposure

- 50/60 Hz
- magnetic field
- power transmission line
- electrical substation
- residential

Assessment

calculation: distance of the residence from the nearest power line or electrical substation; weighted index: peak winter load of the nearest substation divided by the square of distance

Exposure groups

Group	Description
Group 1	distance from the nearest overhead line: 0 - 24 m
Group 2	distance from the nearest overhead line: 25 - 49 m
Group 3	distance from the nearest overhead line: 50 - 99 m
Reference group 4	distance from the nearest overhead line: ≥ 100 m
Group 5	distance from the nearest electrical substation: 0 - 24 m
Group 6	distance from the nearest electrical substation: 25 - 49 m
Group 7	distance from the nearest electrical substation: 50 - 99 m
Reference group 8	distance from the nearest electrical substation: ≥ 100 m
Group 9	weighted relative exposure index: category 0 (low)
Group 10	weighted relative exposure index: category 1
Group 11	weighted relative exposure index: category 2
Group 12	weighted relative exposure index: category 3
Group 13	weighted relative exposure index: category 4 (high)

Population

Group:
- men
- women
- children
Observation period: 1965 - 1980
Study location: England (London boroughs Bromley, Croydon, Merton and Sutton)

Case group

Characteristics: leukemia, histopathologically confirmed
Data source: Thames Cancer Registry, England

Control group

1) cancer controls with a solid tumor selected from the same registry 2) population controls randomly selected of the general population
Selection:
- population-based
- registry-based
Matching:
- sex
- age
- area
- year of diagnose

Study size

	Cases	Controls
Eligible	811	1,614
Evaluable	771	1,432

Other:

additionally 231 population controls

Results (acc. to author)

Only 0.6 % of the subjects lived within 100 m of an overhead power line. For this group (7 cases and 9 controls) a statistically non-significant evalated relative risk for leukemia was observed (RR 1.45, CI 0.54-3,88). Residence within 50 m to a power line was associated with a relevative risk of 2.0 (CI 0.4-9.0) based on 3 cases and 3 controls.
Over 40 % of the subjects lived within 100 m of an electrical substation. No increased risk of leukemia was observed for this group. Weighted exposure indices calculated on the base of the current load carried by the electrical substations did not materially alter these risk estimates.
A separate analysis for children up to 18 years living within 50 m of a substation showed a non-significant increased relative risk (RR 1.5, CI 0.7-3.4). Since only one case and one control less aged than 18 years lived within 100 m of a power line, no analysis was performed for this group.

Limitations (acc. to author)

The exposure assessment was crude and indirect, therefore the results should be interpreted with caution.

Study funded by

not stated/no funding

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