BRAIN-TUMOR RISK IN CHILDREN IN RELATION TO USE OF ELECTRIC BLANKETS AND WATER BED HEATERS - RESULTS FROM THE UNITED-STATES WEST-COAST CHILDHOOD BRAIN-TUMOR STUDY

The possible relation between the occurrence of brain tumors in childr en and exposure to electric blankets or electrically heated water beds was investigated in a multicenter, population-based case-control stud y conducted on the West Coast of the United States, Information on mat ernal exposure during pregnancy or direct exposure to the subject chil d was collected by in-person interview from the mothers of 540 case ch ildren and 801 control children. Cases were 19 years of age or younger and were diagnosed between 1984 and 1991. Controls were recruited usi ng a random digit dialing procedure. The risk of brain tumor occurrenc e from in utero exposure to either electric blankets (odds ratio (OR) = 0.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.6-1.2) or heated water beds (OR = 0.9, 95% CI 0.6-1.3) was not elevated, Brain cancer risk did not var y by use in any trimester of pregnancy, and children with mothers who reported use throughout their pregnancy had no increased risk, Similar results were observed for exposure to the child, in that no associati on between brain cancer and use of electric blankets (OR = 1.0, 95% CI 0.6-1.7) or heated water beds (OR = 1.2, 95% CI 0.7-2.0) was observed , Risks did not vary significantly by age, sex, race, socioeconomic st atus, or histologic category for either in utero exposure or child's e xposure. This study provides no evidence io support the hypothesis tha t there is a relation between brain cancer occurrence in children and 50-/60-Hz magnetic field exposure from the use of electric blankets an d heated water beds.