E' stata pubblicato un articolo
scientifico ( studio di coorte) da parte di ricercatori olandesi che evidenzia
in modo acclarato la correlazione tra mortalità per sclerosi laterale
amiotrofica ( SLA ) e l'esposizione a radiazioni elettromagnetiche di bassa
frequenza in ambito lavorativo.
Da notare come tra i potenziali fattori
eziologici presi in considerazione ( solventi, pesticidi, metalli, shock
elettrico e radiazioni elettromagnetiche a bassa frequenza ), l'unico a
manifestare un legame statisticamente significativo ( sino al raddoppio del
rischio ) per esposizioni elevate e cumulative e decessi per SLA è rappresentato
dai campi elettromagnetici a bassa frequenza.
Dedicato a chi continua a sostenere che
non esistono evidenze scientifiche.
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Occupational exposure and amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis in a prospective cohort.
Koeman T (1), Slottje P (1), Schouten LJ (2), Peters S (1,3), Huss A (1), Veldink JH (3), Kromhout H (1), van den Brandt PA (2) , Vermeulen R (4,5).
1
- Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment
Sciences, Utrecht University, The Netherlands, Utrecht Netherlands.
2
- Department of Epidemiology, GROW School for Oncology and Developmental
Biology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht Netherlands.
3
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus,
University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands, Utrecht Netherlands.
4
- Division of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute for Risk Assessment
Sciences, Utrecht University, The Netherlands, Utrecht Netherlands
r.c.h.vermeulen@uu.nl.
5
- Julius Centre for Public Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical
Center, Utrecht Netherlands.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
To prospectively study suspected occupational risk
factors for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
METHODS:
For this case-cohort analysis within the prospective
Netherlands Cohort Study, 58 279 men and 62 573 women aged 55-69 years at
enrolment in 1986 were followed up for 17.3 years on ALS mortality. Information
on occupational history and potential confounders were collected at baseline
through a self-administered questionnaire and entered for a random subcohort
(2092 men and 2074 women) and ALS deaths (76 men and 60 women). Occupational
exposure to solvents, pesticides, metals, extremely low frequency magnetic
fields (ELF-MFs) and electrical shocks was estimated by means of job exposure matrices
(JEMs). Associations between ever/never occupationally exposed and cumulative
exposure and ALS mortality were analysed by gender using Cox regression.
RESULTS:
Occupational exposure to ELF-MF showed a possible
association with ALS mortality among men: HR for ever holding a job with high
exposure versus background 2.19 (95% (CI): 1.02 to 4.73) and HR for the highest
tertile of cumulative exposure versus background 1.93 (95% CI 1.05 to 3.55).
INTERPRETATION:
These results strengthen the evidence suggesting a
positive association between ELF-MF exposure and ALS. We did not replicate
earlier positive findings for other occupational exposures.
