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EMFs and Alzheimer's disease (letter).

Schulte PA; Burnett CA

Neurology 1997 Jul; 49(1):312-313

https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.49.1.312

00241504

The results of a mortality study examining the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) associated with employment in occupations having potential exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) were summarized and discussed in this letter. The study was based on an analysis of information taken from death certificates for decedents in 27 states. Statistically significant increases in proportionate mortality ratios (PMRs) for AD were found for some occupations with presumed EMF exposure including white males employed as electrical and electronic engineers and electrical and electronic engineers and black males employed as electricians, power transmitter installers, and broadcast operators. Associations between potential EMF exposure and other neurodegenerative diseases were also found. For example, increased PMRs for presenile dementia were found for white males employed as supervisory electricians and power transmitter installers and for increased PMRs for motor neuron disease were found for white males employed as electrical and electronic engineers, miscellaneous electrical and electronic equipment repairers, airline pilots and navigators, and power plant operators. This study did not find an increased risk for AD, but did find a significantly increased risk for presenile dementia in the occupational categories of precision textile, apparel and furnishing machine workers and miscellaneous textile machine operators.

NIOSH-Author; Electromagnetic-fields; Brain-disorders; Chronic-degenerative-diseases; Epidemiology; Mortality-data; Occupational-exposure; Risk-analysis; Neurological-diseases; Machine-operators; Electrical-workers; NOMS; National Occupational Mortality Surveillance

NEURAI

19970701

Other

1997

1

0028-3878

DSHEFS

Neurology

OH