Malignant lymphoma and occupational exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields and electrical shocks: A nested case-control study in a cohort of four Nordic countries

Hamed Jalilian; Mònica Guxens; Sanna Heikkinen; Eero Pukkala; Anke Huss; Seyed Kamal Eshagh Hossaini; Kristina Kjærheim; Roel Vermeulen

doi:10.1136/oemed-2021-108120

Malignant lymphoma and occupational exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields and electrical shocks: A nested case-control study in a cohort of four Nordic countries

Hamed Jalilian^*, Mònica Guxens, Sanna Heikkinen, Eero Pukkala, Anke Huss, Seyed Kamal Eshagh Hossaini, Kristina Kjærheim, Roel Vermeulen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry / Psychology

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Abstract

Background Exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) and electric shocks is a common occupational risk factor in many workplaces. Recent investigations have highlighted a possible association between such exposures and lymphoma risk. This study was carried out to further explore the association between occupational exposure to ELF-MFs and electric shocks and risk of lymphoma in a large Nordic census-based cohort. Methods We included cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL, n=68 978), chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL, n=20 615) and multiple myeloma (MM, n=35 467) diagnosed between 1961 and 2005 in Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Cases were matched to five controls by year of birth, sex and country. Lifetime occupational ELF-MF and electric shock exposures were assigned to jobs reported in population censuses using job-exposure matrices. The risk of cancer was assessed based on cumulative exposure to ELF-MF and electric shocks. ORs with 95% CIs were estimated using logistic models adjusted for occupational co-exposures relevant to lymphomas. Results Less than 7% of the cases experienced high levels of ELF-MF. We observed no increased risks among workers exposed to high levels of ELF-MF for NHL (OR: 0.93; CI 0.90 to 0.97), CLL (OR: 0.98; CI 0.92 to 1.05) or MM (OR: 0.96; CI 0.90 to 1.01). Conclusion Our results do not provide support for an association between occupational exposure to ELF-MFs and electric shocks and lymphoma risk.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	631-636
Number of pages	6
Journal	Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Volume	79
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2021-108120
Publication status	Published - 31 Aug 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by Qom University of Medical Sciences (grant number:1096) and by ZonMw (grant number 85500026). MG is funded by a Miguel Servet II fellowship (CPII18/00018) awarded by the Spanish Institute of Health Carlos III. The authors acknowledge support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the State Research Agency through the “Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa 2019-2023” Program (CEX2018-000806-S), and support from the Generalitat de Catalunya through the CERCA Program. The Nordic Occupational Cancer (NOCCA) Study was funded by the Nordic Cancer Union.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Author(s). Published by BMJ.

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10.1136/oemed-2021-108120

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Jalilian, H., Guxens, M., Heikkinen, S., Pukkala, E., Huss, A., Eshagh Hossaini, S. K., Kjærheim, K., & Vermeulen, R. (2022). Malignant lymphoma and occupational exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields and electrical shocks: A nested case-control study in a cohort of four Nordic countries. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 79(9), 631-636. https://doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2021-108120

@article{c7527c648d5646e3b6efc999feeedb48,

title = "Malignant lymphoma and occupational exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields and electrical shocks: A nested case-control study in a cohort of four Nordic countries",

abstract = "Background Exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) and electric shocks is a common occupational risk factor in many workplaces. Recent investigations have highlighted a possible association between such exposures and lymphoma risk. This study was carried out to further explore the association between occupational exposure to ELF-MFs and electric shocks and risk of lymphoma in a large Nordic census-based cohort. Methods We included cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL, n=68 978), chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL, n=20 615) and multiple myeloma (MM, n=35 467) diagnosed between 1961 and 2005 in Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Cases were matched to five controls by year of birth, sex and country. Lifetime occupational ELF-MF and electric shock exposures were assigned to jobs reported in population censuses using job-exposure matrices. The risk of cancer was assessed based on cumulative exposure to ELF-MF and electric shocks. ORs with 95\% CIs were estimated using logistic models adjusted for occupational co-exposures relevant to lymphomas. Results Less than 7\% of the cases experienced high levels of ELF-MF. We observed no increased risks among workers exposed to high levels of ELF-MF for NHL (OR: 0.93; CI 0.90 to 0.97), CLL (OR: 0.98; CI 0.92 to 1.05) or MM (OR: 0.96; CI 0.90 to 1.01). Conclusion Our results do not provide support for an association between occupational exposure to ELF-MFs and electric shocks and lymphoma risk.",

author = "Hamed Jalilian and M{\`o}nica Guxens and Sanna Heikkinen and Eero Pukkala and Anke Huss and \{Eshagh Hossaini\}, \{Seyed Kamal\} and Kristina Kj{\ae}rheim and Roel Vermeulen",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by Qom University of Medical Sciences (grant number:1096) and by ZonMw (grant number 85500026). MG is funded by a Miguel Servet II fellowship (CPII18/00018) awarded by the Spanish Institute of Health Carlos III. The authors acknowledge support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the State Research Agency through the “Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa 2019-2023” Program (CEX2018-000806-S), and support from the Generalitat de Catalunya through the CERCA Program. The Nordic Occupational Cancer (NOCCA) Study was funded by the Nordic Cancer Union. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 Author(s). Published by BMJ.",

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doi = "10.1136/oemed-2021-108120",

language = "English",

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Jalilian, H, Guxens, M, Heikkinen, S, Pukkala, E, Huss, A, Eshagh Hossaini, SK, Kjærheim, K & Vermeulen, R 2022, 'Malignant lymphoma and occupational exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields and electrical shocks: A nested case-control study in a cohort of four Nordic countries', Occupational and Environmental Medicine, vol. 79, no. 9, pp. 631-636. https://doi.org/10.1136/oemed-2021-108120

Malignant lymphoma and occupational exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields and electrical shocks: A nested case-control study in a cohort of four Nordic countries. / Jalilian, Hamed; Guxens, Mònica; Heikkinen, Sanna et al.
In: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Vol. 79, No. 9, 31.08.2022, p. 631-636.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Malignant lymphoma and occupational exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields and electrical shocks

T2 - A nested case-control study in a cohort of four Nordic countries

AU - Jalilian, Hamed

AU - Guxens, Mònica

AU - Heikkinen, Sanna

AU - Pukkala, Eero

AU - Huss, Anke

AU - Eshagh Hossaini, Seyed Kamal

AU - Kjærheim, Kristina

AU - Vermeulen, Roel

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by Qom University of Medical Sciences (grant number:1096) and by ZonMw (grant number 85500026). MG is funded by a Miguel Servet II fellowship (CPII18/00018) awarded by the Spanish Institute of Health Carlos III. The authors acknowledge support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the State Research Agency through the “Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa 2019-2023” Program (CEX2018-000806-S), and support from the Generalitat de Catalunya through the CERCA Program. The Nordic Occupational Cancer (NOCCA) Study was funded by the Nordic Cancer Union. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Author(s). Published by BMJ.

PY - 2022/8/31

Y1 - 2022/8/31

N2 - Background Exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) and electric shocks is a common occupational risk factor in many workplaces. Recent investigations have highlighted a possible association between such exposures and lymphoma risk. This study was carried out to further explore the association between occupational exposure to ELF-MFs and electric shocks and risk of lymphoma in a large Nordic census-based cohort. Methods We included cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL, n=68 978), chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL, n=20 615) and multiple myeloma (MM, n=35 467) diagnosed between 1961 and 2005 in Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Cases were matched to five controls by year of birth, sex and country. Lifetime occupational ELF-MF and electric shock exposures were assigned to jobs reported in population censuses using job-exposure matrices. The risk of cancer was assessed based on cumulative exposure to ELF-MF and electric shocks. ORs with 95% CIs were estimated using logistic models adjusted for occupational co-exposures relevant to lymphomas. Results Less than 7% of the cases experienced high levels of ELF-MF. We observed no increased risks among workers exposed to high levels of ELF-MF for NHL (OR: 0.93; CI 0.90 to 0.97), CLL (OR: 0.98; CI 0.92 to 1.05) or MM (OR: 0.96; CI 0.90 to 1.01). Conclusion Our results do not provide support for an association between occupational exposure to ELF-MFs and electric shocks and lymphoma risk.

AB - Background Exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) and electric shocks is a common occupational risk factor in many workplaces. Recent investigations have highlighted a possible association between such exposures and lymphoma risk. This study was carried out to further explore the association between occupational exposure to ELF-MFs and electric shocks and risk of lymphoma in a large Nordic census-based cohort. Methods We included cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL, n=68 978), chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL, n=20 615) and multiple myeloma (MM, n=35 467) diagnosed between 1961 and 2005 in Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Cases were matched to five controls by year of birth, sex and country. Lifetime occupational ELF-MF and electric shock exposures were assigned to jobs reported in population censuses using job-exposure matrices. The risk of cancer was assessed based on cumulative exposure to ELF-MF and electric shocks. ORs with 95% CIs were estimated using logistic models adjusted for occupational co-exposures relevant to lymphomas. Results Less than 7% of the cases experienced high levels of ELF-MF. We observed no increased risks among workers exposed to high levels of ELF-MF for NHL (OR: 0.93; CI 0.90 to 0.97), CLL (OR: 0.98; CI 0.92 to 1.05) or MM (OR: 0.96; CI 0.90 to 1.01). Conclusion Our results do not provide support for an association between occupational exposure to ELF-MFs and electric shocks and lymphoma risk.

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U2 - 10.1136/oemed-2021-108120

DO - 10.1136/oemed-2021-108120

M3 - Article

C2 - 35697493

AN - SCOPUS:85132398523

SN - 1351-0711

VL - 79

SP - 631

EP - 636

JO - Occupational and Environmental Medicine

JF - Occupational and Environmental Medicine

IS - 9

ER -

Malignant lymphoma and occupational exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields and electrical shocks: A nested case-control study in a cohort of four Nordic countries

Abstract

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