Electromagnetic fields link to motor neurone disease 'weak'

Conclusion The study found an increased risk of ALS for men with high exposure to ELF magnetic fields, but that doesn't mean magnetic fields are a direct cause of ALS. While figures such as a doubling of risk suggest a big increase, the overall risk of ALS remains low, at 0.009 per hundred people per year in this study. We should also be cautious because the rarity of the disease means – even with a big group of people – there's room for error. The margin of error on the possible increased risk from ELF magnetic fields comes close to the point where the result could be down to chance. This point is reinforced by the fact that the lower range of the measured risk value (CI 1.02) barely passed the cut-off point for statistical significance. The study has some strengths; including its size, its prospective nature, and its ability to adjust for known risk factors. It also used standardised tools to assess exposure to risk factors at work, rather than relying on people's memories of their exposure. Researchers were able to look at people's exposure over time, as well as one-off exposure from a single job. But cohort studies can't point to a single factor as a cause of a disease. ALS remains mysterious. While the disease is inherited in about 5% of cases, the cause for other people is unclear. It's likely there is more than one single cause, including both genetic and environmental factors. It's possible that ELF magnetic fields are one factor affecting environmental risk. Â...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Neurology Lifestyle/exercise Source Type: news