CHILDHOOD LEUKEMIA AND ELECTROMAGNETIC-FIELDS - RESULTS OF A POPULATION-BASED CASE-CONTROL STUDY IN GERMANY

The investigation of an association between increased exposure to resi dential extremely-low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) and c hildhood leukemia was part of a population-based case-control study ca rried out between 1992 and 1995 in the northwestern part of Germany. A total of 129 children with leukemia and 328 controls participated in the EMF-study. Exposure assessment comprised measurements of the magne tic field over 24 hours in the child's bedroom at the residence where the child had been living for the longest period before the date of di agnosis, and spot measurements at all residences where the child had b een living for more than one year. The median of the 24h-measurement i n the child's bedroom was regarded as the most valid exposure variable . For children exposed to more than 0.2 mu T, an elevated but not sign ificant odds ratio (OR) was observed (OR =: 3.2, 95 percent confidence interval = 0.7-14.9). These figures are based on only four leukemia c ases and three controls since only 1.5 percent of the study population was classified as highly exposed. Exploratory analyses revealed ORs t hat were not statistically significantly increased for other character istics of the magnetic field at varying cut-points. The results are co mparable with those from other studies. Although not statistically sig nificant, they may indicate a positive association between EMF and chi ldhood leukemia.