Exposure to electromagnetic fields does not modify neither the age of onset nor the disease progression in ALS patients

Abstract

Being exposed to electromagnetic fields has been suggested to increase the risk of developing Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Here, we investigated the effect of exposure to electromagnetic fields on ALS onset age and progression rate (ΔALSFRS-r). A large cohort of ALS patients (n = 1098) was geolocalized at the time of their diagnosis. Concomitantly, data on the distribution of power lines and repeater antennas (extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields) during the same period were retrieved. Exposure to each repeater antenna was calculated as the sum of 1/(distance from each antenna)^2. Exposure to power lines was calculated assuming each patient’s address as the center of several circles of variable radius (100, 250, 500, 1000, and 2000 m). For each radius, the exposure was calculated as the length of the power lines included in the circle. Finally, patients were divided into low- and high-exposed based on the median of the exposure and compared using the Mann–Whitney test. A regression model (one for each radius) was also performed. Neither the onset age nor the ΔALSFRS-r differed among patients’ low- and high-exposed to electromagnetic fields. Similarly, we could not find any significant relationship using the regression models. Our findings suggest that electromagnetic fields do not modify the ALS phenotype or progression.

Keywords:

• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• epidemiology
• cross-sectional studies
• prognosis
• electromagnetic fields

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the Arpa Piemonte (Regional Environmental Protection Agency, Agenzia Regionale per la Protezione Ambientale) for providing data on environmental exposures.

Author contributions

RV and SCal participated to study conception and design, data collection, data analysis, interpretation of results and writing of the manuscript. MG, ACan, SCab, FDP, EM, FDiMat, FC, PS, LM, FDeMar, CM, and ACal participated to data collection, interpretation of results, and revision of the manuscript. UM and AChi participated to study design, interpretation of results, and revision of the manuscript.

Declaration of interest

Rosario Vasta, Stefano Callegaro, Maurizio Grassano, Antonio Canosa, Sara Cabras, Francesca Di Pede, Enrico Matteoni, Filippo De Mattei, Federico Casale, Paolina Salamone, Letizia Mazzini, Fabiola De Marchi: no disclosures. Andrea Calvo has received research support from the Italian Ministry of Health (Ricerca Finalizzata). Cristina Moglia has received research support from the Italian Ministry of Health (Ricerca Finalizzata). Adriano Chiò serves on the editorial advisory board of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Neurological Sciences and has received research support from the Italian Ministry of Health (Ricerca Finalizzata), Regione Piemonte (Ricerca Finalizzata), University of Turin and the European Commission (Health Seventh Framework Programme) and serves on scientific advisory boards for Biogen Idec, Cytokinetics, Italfarmaco.

Additional information

Funding

This work was in part supported by the Italian Ministry of Health (Ministero della Salute, Ricerca Sanatoria Finalizzata, grant RF-2016-02362405), the European Commission’s Health Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013 under grant agreement 259867), the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (Progetti di Ricerca di Rilevante Interesse Nazionale, PRIN, grant 2017SNW5MB), the Joint Programme – Neurodegenerative Disease Research (ALS-Care, Strength and Brain-Mend projects), granted by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research, the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Brainteaser Project, grant GA101017598), and the Susa and Val Susa Rotary Club. This study was performed under the Department of Excellence grant of the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research to the ’Rita Levi Montalcini’ Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Italy. The study was supported by the AGING Project for Department of Excellence at the Department of Translational Medicine (DIMET), Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy.