Elevated risk of Alzheimer's disease among workers with likely electromagnetic field exposure.

Abstract

We conducted a case-control study of the possible association of occupations with likely exposure to electromagnetic fields and Alzheimer's disease (AD) with patients from the Alzheimer Disease Treatment and Diagnostic Center, Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center, Downey, CA. Patients with definite or probable AD were the case subjects (86 male, 240 female). Patients with cognitive impairment/dementia other than vascular dementia were control subjects (76 male, 76 female). The study was limited to patients who were at least age 65 at the time of their first examination at Rancho Los Amigos. The odds ratio for both sexes combined was adjusted for sex, education, and age at onset. The odds ratio for males was adjusted only for age at onset, and the odds ratio for females was adjusted for both education and age at onset. The adjusted odds ratio for both sexes was 3.93 (p = 0.006), 95% CI = (1.5 to 10.6). For males the adjusted odds ratio was 4.90 (p = 0.01), 95% CI = (1.3 to 7.9), and for females the adjusted odds ratio was 3.40 (p = 0.10), 95% CI = (0.8 to 16.0). These results are consistent with previous findings regarding the hypothesis that electromagnetic field exposure is etiologically associated with the occurrence of AD.

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

In this clinic-based case-control study of occupations with likely electromagnetic field exposure, the adjusted odds ratio for Alzheimer's disease for both sexes combined was 3.93 (p=0.006; 95% CI 1.5–10.6). Sex-stratified adjusted odds ratios were 4.90 for males (p=0.01; 95% CI 1.3–7.9) and 3.40 for females (p=0.10; 95% CI 0.8–16.0).

Outcomes measured

• Alzheimer's disease (definite or probable) vs other cognitive impairment/dementia (excluding vascular dementia)

Limitations

• Exposure characterized as 'occupations with likely exposure' (no quantitative EMF measurements reported in abstract).
• Clinic-based sample from a single center; generalizability may be limited.
• Control group consisted of other cognitive impairment/dementia patients (excluding vascular dementia), not population controls.
• Female estimate not statistically significant (p=0.10) with wide confidence interval.

Suggested hubs

• occupational-exposure (0.9)
  Study evaluates occupations with likely EMF exposure in relation to Alzheimer's disease risk.

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    "exposure": {
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        "source": "occupational",
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": null
    },
    "population": "Patients aged ≥65 examined at the Alzheimer Disease Treatment and Diagnostic Center, Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center (Downey, CA); cases: definite/probable Alzheimer's disease; controls: cognitive impairment/dementia other than vascular dementia.",
    "sample_size": 478,
    "outcomes": [
        "Alzheimer's disease (definite or probable) vs other cognitive impairment/dementia (excluding vascular dementia)"
    ],
    "main_findings": "In this clinic-based case-control study of occupations with likely electromagnetic field exposure, the adjusted odds ratio for Alzheimer's disease for both sexes combined was 3.93 (p=0.006; 95% CI 1.5–10.6). Sex-stratified adjusted odds ratios were 4.90 for males (p=0.01; 95% CI 1.3–7.9) and 3.40 for females (p=0.10; 95% CI 0.8–16.0).",
    "effect_direction": "harm",
    "limitations": [
        "Exposure characterized as 'occupations with likely exposure' (no quantitative EMF measurements reported in abstract).",
        "Clinic-based sample from a single center; generalizability may be limited.",
        "Control group consisted of other cognitive impairment/dementia patients (excluding vascular dementia), not population controls.",
        "Female estimate not statistically significant (p=0.10) with wide confidence interval."
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "low",
    "confidence": 0.7800000000000000266453525910037569701671600341796875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "Alzheimer's disease",
        "occupational exposure",
        "electromagnetic fields",
        "case-control",
        "odds ratio",
        "dementia"
    ],
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            "weight": 0.90000000000000002220446049250313080847263336181640625,
            "reason": "Study evaluates occupations with likely EMF exposure in relation to Alzheimer's disease risk."
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}

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