Maria Feychting

Publications of Maria Feychting

• Role of Tobacco Use in the Etiology of Acoustic Neuroma.

  Authors: Sadie Palmisano, Judith Schwartzbaum, Michaela Prochazka, David Pettersson, Tommy Bergenheim, Rut Florentzson, Henrik Harder, Tiit Mathiesen, Gunnar Nyberg, Peter Siesjö, Maria Feychting

  American journal of epidemiology. 04/2012;

  Two previous studies suggest that cigarette smoking reduces acoustic neuroma risk; however, an association between use of snuff tobacco and acoustic neuroma has not been investigated previously. TheTwo previous studies suggest that cigarette smoking reduces acoustic neuroma risk; however, an association between use of snuff tobacco and acoustic neuroma has not been investigated previously. The authors conducted a case-control study in Sweden from 2002 to 2007, in which 451 cases and 710 population-based controls completed questionnaires. Cases and controls were matched on gender, region, and age within 5 years. The authors estimated odds ratios using conditional logistic regression analyses, adjusted for education and tobacco use (snuff use in the smoking analysis and smoking in the snuff analysis). The risk of acoustic neuroma was greatly reduced in male current smokers (odds ratio (OR) = 0.41, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.23, 0.74) and moderately reduced in female current smokers (OR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.40, 1.23). In contrast, current snuff use among males was not associated with risk of acoustic neuroma (OR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.57, 1.55). The authors' findings are consistent with previous reports of lower acoustic neuroma risk among current cigarette smokers than among never smokers. The absence of an association between snuff use and acoustic neuroma suggests that some constituent of tobacco smoke other than nicotine may confer protection against acoustic neuroma.

• Mobile Phone Use and Incidence of Glioma in the Nordic Countries 1979-2008: Consistency Check.

  Authors: Isabelle Deltour, Anssi Auvinen, Maria Feychting, Christoffer Johansen, Lars Klaeboe, Risto Sankila, Joachim Schüz

  Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.). 03/2012; 23(2):301-307.

  BACKGROUND:: Some case-control studies have reported increased risks of glioma associated with mobile phone use. If true, this would ultimately affect the time trends for incidence rates (IRs).BACKGROUND:: Some case-control studies have reported increased risks of glioma associated with mobile phone use. If true, this would ultimately affect the time trends for incidence rates (IRs). Correspondingly, lack of change in IRs would exclude certain magnitudes of risk. We investigated glioma IR trends in the Nordic countries, and compared the observed with expected incidence rates under various risk scenarios. METHODS:: We analyzed annual age-standardized incidence rates in men and women aged 20 to 79 years during 1979-2008 using joinpoint regression (35,250 glioma cases). Probabilities of detecting various levels of relative risk were computed using simulations. RESULTS:: For the period 1979 through 2008, the annual percent change in incidence rates was 0.4% (95% confidence interval = 0.1% to 0.6%) among men and 0.3% (0.1% to 0.5%) among women. Incidence rates have decreased in young men (20-39 years) since 1987, remained stable in middle-aged men (40-59 years) throughout the 30-year study period, and increased slightly in older men (60-79 years). In simulations, assumed relative risks for all users of 2.0 for an induction time of up to 15 years, 1.5 for up to 10 years, and 1.2 for up to 5 years were incompatible with observed incidence time trends. For heavy users of mobile phones, risks of 2.0 for up to 5 years' induction were also incompatible. CONCLUSION:: No clear trend change in glioma incidence rates was observed. Several of the risk increases seen in case-control studies appear to be incompatible with the observed lack of incidence rate increase in middle-aged men. This suggests longer induction periods than currently investigated, lower risks than reported from some case-control studies, or the absence of any association.

• Occupational exposure to particles and incidence of stroke.

  Authors: Bengt Sjögren, Maria Lönn, Maria Feychting, Gun Nise, Timo Kauppinen, Nils Plato, Pernilla Wiebert, Per Gustavsson

  Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health. 01/2012;

  OBJECTIVES: This paper aims to investigate the relation between occupational exposure to particles, particle size, and the incidence of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. METHODS: The cohort includedOBJECTIVES: This paper aims to investigate the relation between occupational exposure to particles, particle size, and the incidence of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. METHODS: The cohort included all manual workers identified from the Swedish National Census in 1980, who were alive as of 1 January 1987. First time events of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke during the period 1987-2005 were identified through linkage to the Hospital Discharge Register and the National Cause of Death Register. A job-exposure matrix for exposure to small (<1 µm) and large (>1 µm) particles was developed and applied. Hazard ratios (HR) were estimated by Cox regression with adjustment for age, socioeconomic group, and residential area. RESULTS: Increased HR of ischemic as well as hemorrhagic stroke were found among both women and men occupationally exposed to small as well as large particles. The risks were higher for workers exposed for ≥5 years compared to "ever exposed" participants indicating a dose-response relationship, but no trend with exposure intensity was observed. The risks were generally higher for women than men. CONCLUSIONS: Occupational exposure to small and large particles was associated with increased risks of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Further studies are needed to explore the relationships between exposure to different types of particles and various doses and the occurrence of stroke among women as well as men.

• Mobile phones, brain tumors, and the interphone study: where are we now?

  Authors: Anthony J Swerdlow, Maria Feychting, Adele C Green, Leeka Kheifets Leeka Kheifets, David A Savitz

  Environmental health perspectives. 11/2011; 119(11):1534-8.

  In the past 15 years, mobile telephone use has evolved from an uncommon activity to one with > 4.6 billion subscriptions worldwide. However, there is public concern about the possibility that mobileIn the past 15 years, mobile telephone use has evolved from an uncommon activity to one with > 4.6 billion subscriptions worldwide. However, there is public concern about the possibility that mobile phones might cause cancer, especially brain tumors. We reviewed the evidence on whether mobile phone use raises the risk of the main types of brain tumor—glioma and meningioma—with a particular focus on the recent publication of the largest epidemiologic study yet: the 13-country Interphone Study. Methodological defcits limit the conclusions that can be drawn from the Interphone study, but its results, along with those from other epidemiologic, biological, and animal studies and brain tumor incidence trends, suggest that within about 10–15 years after first use of mobile phones there is unlikely to be a material increase in the risk of brain tumors in adults. Data for childhood tumors and for periods beyond 15 years are currently lacking. Although there remains some uncertainty, the trend in the accumulating evidence is increasingly against the hypothesis that mobile phone use can cause brain tumors in adults.

• Mobile phones, radiofrequency fields, and health effects in children--epidemiological studies.

  Authors: Maria Feychting

  Progress in biophysics and molecular biology. 09/2011; 107(3):343-8.

  In 2004, when WHO organized a workshop on children's sensitivity to electromagnetic fields, very few studies on radiofrequency fields were available. With the recent increase in mobile phone useIn 2004, when WHO organized a workshop on children's sensitivity to electromagnetic fields, very few studies on radiofrequency fields were available. With the recent increase in mobile phone use among children and adolescents, WHO has identified studies on health effects in this age-group as a high priority research area. There are no empirical data supporting the notion that children and adolescents are more susceptible to RF exposure, but the number of studies is still relatively small. There are a few cross-sectional studies on well-being, cognitive effects and behavioral problems, and some cohort studies, mainly of maternal use of mobile phones during pregnancy. Cancer outcomes have been studied in relation to environmental RF exposure, e.g. from transmitters, and only one study on mobile phone use in children and adolescents and brain tumor risk has been published. Several methodological limitations need to be taken into consideration when interpreting the findings of the epidemiological studies. The cross-sectional design does not allow determination of the temporal sequence of exposure and outcome, and for several outcomes there is a large potential for reversed causality, i.e. that the outcome causes an increased RF exposure rather than the opposite. Biases such as recall errors in self-reported mobile phone use, lack of confounding control, e.g. of other aspects of mobile phone use than RF fields, trained behaviors, and pubertal development, makes causal interpretations impossible. Future studies need to include prospectively collected exposure information, incident outcomes, and proper confounding control. Monitoring of brain tumor incidence trends is strongly recommended.

• Predictors and overestimation of recalled mobile phone use among children and adolescents.

  Authors: Denis Aydin, Maria Feychting, Joachim Schüz, Tina Veje Andersen, Aslak Harbo Poulsen, Michaela Prochazka, Lars Klæboe, Claudia E Kuehni, Tore Tynes, Martin Röösli

  Progress in biophysics and molecular biology. 09/2011; 107(3):356-61.

  A growing body of literature addresses possible health effects of mobile phone use in children and adolescents by relying on the study participants' retrospective reconstruction of mobile phone use.A growing body of literature addresses possible health effects of mobile phone use in children and adolescents by relying on the study participants' retrospective reconstruction of mobile phone use. In this study, we used data from the international case-control study CEFALO to compare self-reported with objectively operator-recorded mobile phone use. The aim of the study was to assess predictors of level of mobile phone use as well as factors that are associated with overestimating own mobile phone use. For cumulative number and duration of calls as well as for time since first subscription we calculated the ratio of self-reported to operator-recorded mobile phone use. We used multiple linear regression models to assess possible predictors of the average number and duration of calls per day and logistic regression models to assess possible predictors of overestimation. The cumulative number and duration of calls as well as the time since first subscription of mobile phones were overestimated on average by the study participants. Likelihood to overestimate number and duration of calls was not significantly different for controls compared to cases (OR=1.1, 95%-CI: 0.5 to 2.5 and OR=1.9, 95%-CI: 0.85 to 4.3, respectively). However, likelihood to overestimate was associated with other health related factors such as age and sex. As a consequence, such factors act as confounders in studies relying solely on self-reported mobile phone use and have to be considered in the analysis.

• Mobile phone use and brain tumors in children and adolescents: a multicenter case-control study.

  Authors: Denis Aydin, Maria Feychting, Joachim Schüz, Tore Tynes, Tina Veje Andersen, Lisbeth Samsø Schmidt, Aslak Harbo Poulsen, Christoffer Johansen, Michaela Prochazka, Birgitta Lannering, Lars Klæboe, Tone Eggen, Daniela Jenni, Michael Grotzer, Nicolas Von der Weid, Claudia E Kuehni, Martin Röösli

  Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 08/2011; 103(16):1264-76.

  It has been hypothesized that children and adolescents might be more vulnerable to possible health effects from mobile phone exposure than adults. We investigated whether mobile phone use isIt has been hypothesized that children and adolescents might be more vulnerable to possible health effects from mobile phone exposure than adults. We investigated whether mobile phone use is associated with brain tumor risk among children and adolescents. CEFALO is a multicenter case-control study conducted in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Switzerland that includes all children and adolescents aged 7-19 years who were diagnosed with a brain tumor between 2004 and 2008. We conducted interviews, in person, with 352 case patients (participation rate: 83%) and 646 control subjects (participation rate: 71%) and their parents. Control subjects were randomly selected from population registries and matched by age, sex, and geographical region. We asked about mobile phone use and included mobile phone operator records when available. Odds ratios (ORs) for brain tumor risk and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using conditional logistic regression models. Regular users of mobile phones were not statistically significantly more likely to have been diagnosed with brain tumors compared with nonusers (OR = 1.36; 95% CI = 0.92 to 2.02). Children who started to use mobile phones at least 5 years ago were not at increased risk compared with those who had never regularly used mobile phones (OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 0.70 to 2.28). In a subset of study participants for whom operator recorded data were available, brain tumor risk was related to the time elapsed since the mobile phone subscription was started but not to amount of use. No increased risk of brain tumors was observed for brain areas receiving the highest amount of exposure. The absence of an exposure-response relationship either in terms of the amount of mobile phone use or by localization of the brain tumor argues against a causal association.

• Common variation at 10p12.31 near MLLT10 influences meningioma risk.

  Authors: Sara E Dobbins, Peter Broderick, Beatrice Melin, Maria Feychting, Christoffer Johansen, Ulrika Andersson, Thomas Brännström, Johannes Schramm, Bianca Olver, Amy Lloyd [......] Per Hoffmann, Thomas W Mühleisen, Markus M Nöthen, Susanne Moebus, Lewin Eisele, Michael Kosteljanetz, Kenneth Muir, Anthony Swerdlow, Matthias Simon, Richard S Houlston

  Nature genetics. 07/2011; 43(9):825-7.

  To identify susceptibility loci for meningioma, we conducted a genome-wide association study of 859 affected individuals (cases) and 704 controls with validation in two independent sample setsTo identify susceptibility loci for meningioma, we conducted a genome-wide association study of 859 affected individuals (cases) and 704 controls with validation in two independent sample sets totaling 774 cases and 1,764 controls. We identified a new susceptibility locus for meningioma at 10p12.31 (MLLT10, rs11012732, odds ratio = 1.46, P(combined) = 1.88 × 10(-14)). This finding advances our understanding of the genetic basis of meningioma development.

• Location of gliomas in relation to mobile telephone use: a case-case and case-specular analysis.

  Authors: Suvi Larjavaara, Joachim Schüz, Anthony Swerdlow, Maria Feychting, Christoffer Johansen, Susanna Lagorio, Tore Tynes, Lars Klaeboe, Sven Reidar Tonjer, Maria Blettner [......] Anders Ahlbom, Olof Flodmark, Anders Lilja, Stefano Martini, Emanuela Rastelli, Antonello Vidiri, Veikko Kähärä, Jani Raitanen, Sirpa Heinävaara, Anssi Auvinen

  American journal of epidemiology. 07/2011; 174(1):2-11.

  The energy absorbed from the radio-frequency fields of mobile telephones depends strongly on distance from the source. The authors' objective in this study was to evaluate whether gliomas occurThe energy absorbed from the radio-frequency fields of mobile telephones depends strongly on distance from the source. The authors' objective in this study was to evaluate whether gliomas occur preferentially in the areas of the brain having the highest radio-frequency exposure. The authors used 2 approaches: In a case-case analysis, tumor locations were compared with varying exposure levels; in a case-specular analysis, a hypothetical reference location was assigned for each glioma, and the distances from the actual and specular locations to the handset were compared. The study included 888 gliomas from 7 European countries (2000-2004), with tumor midpoints defined on a 3-dimensional grid based on radiologic images. The case-case analyses were carried out using unconditional logistic regression, whereas in the case-specular analysis, conditional logistic regression was used. In the case-case analyses, tumors were located closest to the source of exposure among never-regular and contralateral users, but not statistically significantly. In the case-specular analysis, the mean distances between exposure source and location were similar for cases and speculars. These results do not suggest that gliomas in mobile phone users are preferentially located in the parts of the brain with the highest radio-frequency fields from mobile phones.

• Mobile phones, brain tumors, and the interphone study: where are we now?

  Authors: Anthony J Swerdlow, Maria Feychting, Adele C Green, Leeka Kheifets, David A Savitz

  Environmental health perspectives. 07/2011; 119(11):1534-8.

  Background: In the past 15 years, mobile telephone use has evolved from an uncommon activity to one with > 4.6 billion subscriptions worldwide. However, there is public concern about the possibilityBackground: In the past 15 years, mobile telephone use has evolved from an uncommon activity to one with > 4.6 billion subscriptions worldwide. However, there is public concern about the possibility that mobile phones might cause cancer, especially brain tumors.Objectives: We reviewed the evidence on whether mobile phone use raises the risk of the main types of brain tumor-glioma and meningioma-with a particular focus on the recent publication of the largest epidemiologic study yet: the 13-country Interphone Study.Discussion: Methodological deficits limit the conclusions that can be drawn from the Interphone study, but its results, along with those from other epidemiologic, biological, and animal studies and brain tumor incidence trends, suggest that within about 10-15 years after first use of mobile phones there is unlikely to be a material increase in the risk of brain tumors in adults. Data for childhood tumors and for periods beyond 15 years are currently lacking.Conclusions: Although there remains some uncertainty, the trend in the accumulating evidence is increasingly against the hypothesis that mobile phone use can cause brain tumors in adults.

• Risk factors for oligodendroglial tumors: a pooled international study.

  Authors: Bridget J McCarthy, Kristin M Rankin, Ken Aldape, Melissa L Bondy, Thomas Brännström, Helle Broholm, Maria Feychting, Dora Il'yasova, Peter D Inskip, Christoffer Johansen, Beatrice S Melin, Avima M Ruder, Mary Ann Butler, Michael E Scheurer, Joachim Schüz, Judith A Schwartzbaum, Margaret R Wrensch, Faith G Davis

  Neuro-oncology. 02/2011; 13(2):242-50.

  Oligodendroglial tumors are rare subtypes of brain tumors and are often combined with other glial tumors in epidemiological analyses. However, different demographic associations and clinicalOligodendroglial tumors are rare subtypes of brain tumors and are often combined with other glial tumors in epidemiological analyses. However, different demographic associations and clinical characteristics suggest potentially different risk factors. The purpose of this study was to investigate possible risk factors for oligodendroglial tumors (including oligodendroglioma, anaplastic oligodendroglioma, and mixed glioma). Data from 7 case-control studies (5 US and 2 Scandinavian) were pooled. Unconditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for age group, gender, and study site. Data on 617 cases and 1260 controls were available for analyses. Using data from all 7 studies, history of allergies and/or asthma was associated with a decreased risk of anaplastic oligodendroglioma (OR = 0.6; 95% CI: 0.4-0.9), and history of asthma only was associated with a decreased risk of oligodendroglioma (OR = 0.5; 95% CI: 0.3-0.9) and anaplastic oligodendroglioma (OR = 0.3; 95% CI: 0.1-0.9). A family history of brain tumors was associated with an increased risk of anaplastic oligodendroglioma (OR = 2.2; 95% CI: 1.1-4.5). Having had chicken pox was associated with a decreased risk of oligodendroglioma (OR = 0.6; 95% CI: 0.4-0.9) and anaplastic oligodendroglioma (OR = 0.5; 95% CI: 0.3-0.9) in the US studies. Although there is some overlap in risk factors between oligodendroglial tumors and gliomas as a group, it is likely that additional factors specific to oligodendroglial tumors have yet to be identified. Large, multi-institution international studies will be necessary to better characterize these etiological risk factors.

• Impact of random and systematic recall errors and selection bias in case--control studies on mobile phone use and brain tumors in adolescents (CEFALO study).

  Authors: Denis Aydin, Maria Feychting, Joachim Schüz, Tina Veje Andersen, Aslak Harbo Poulsen, Michaela Prochazka, Lars Klaeboe, Claudia E Kuehni, Tore Tynes, Martin Röösli

  Bioelectromagnetics. 02/2011; 32(5):396-407.

  Whether the use of mobile phones is a risk factor for brain tumors in adolescents is currently being studied. Case--control studies investigating this possible relationship are prone to recall errorWhether the use of mobile phones is a risk factor for brain tumors in adolescents is currently being studied. Case--control studies investigating this possible relationship are prone to recall error and selection bias. We assessed the potential impact of random and systematic recall error and selection bias on odds ratios (ORs) by performing simulations based on real data from an ongoing case--control study of mobile phones and brain tumor risk in children and adolescents (CEFALO study). Simulations were conducted for two mobile phone exposure categories: regular and heavy use. Our choice of levels of recall error was guided by a validation study that compared objective network operator data with the self-reported amount of mobile phone use in CEFALO. In our validation study, cases overestimated their number of calls by 9% on average and controls by 34%. Cases also overestimated their duration of calls by 52% on average and controls by 163%. The participation rates in CEFALO were 83% for cases and 71% for controls. In a variety of scenarios, the combined impact of recall error and selection bias on the estimated ORs was complex. These simulations are useful for the interpretation of previous case-control studies on brain tumor and mobile phone use in adults as well as for the interpretation of future studies on adolescents.

• An international prospective cohort study of mobile phone users and health (Cosmos): design considerations and enrolment.

  Authors: Joachim Schüz, Paul Elliott, Anssi Auvinen, Hans Kromhout, Aslak Harbo Poulsen, Christoffer Johansen, Jørgen H Olsen, Lena Hillert, Maria Feychting, Karin Fremling, Mireille Toledano, Sirpa Heinävaara, Pauline Slottje, Roel Vermeulen, Anders Ahlbom

  Cancer epidemiology. 02/2011; 35(1):37-43.

  There is continuing public and scientific interest in the possibility that exposure to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields (EMF) from mobile telephones or other wireless devices andThere is continuing public and scientific interest in the possibility that exposure to radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic fields (EMF) from mobile telephones or other wireless devices and applications might increase the risk of certain cancers or other diseases. The interest is amplified by the rapid world-wide penetration of such technologies. The evidence from epidemiological studies published to date have not been consistent and, in particular, further studies are required to identify whether longer term (well beyond 10 years) RF exposure might pose some health risk. The "Cosmos" study described here is a large prospective cohort study of mobile telephone users (ongoing recruitment of 250,000 men and women aged 18+ years in five European countries - Denmark, Finland, Sweden, The Netherlands, UK) who will be followed up for 25+ years. Information on mobile telephone use is collected prospectively through questionnaires and objective traffic data from network operators. Associations with disease risks will be studied by linking cohort members to existing disease registries, while changes in symptoms such as headache and sleep quality and of general well-being are assessed by baseline and follow-up questionnaires. A prospective cohort study conducted with appropriate diligence and a sufficient sample size, overcomes many of the shortcomings of previous studies. Its major advantages are exposure assessment prior to the diagnosis of disease, the prospective collection of objective exposure information, long-term follow-up of multiple health outcomes, and the flexibility to investigate future changes in technologies or new research questions.

• Mobile telephones and brain tumours.

  Authors: Anders Ahlbom, Maria Feychting

  BMJ (Clinical research ed.). 01/2011; 343:d6605.

• Occupational exposures and risk of acoustic neuroma.

  Authors: Michaela Prochazka, Maria Feychting, Anders Ahlbom, Colin G Edwards, Gun Nise, Nils Plato, Judith A Schwartzbaum, Ulla M Forssén

  Occupational and environmental medicine. 11/2010; 67(11):766-71.

  Acoustic neuroma is a benign tumour accounting for approximately 6-10% of all intracranial tumours and occurs mainly in patients aged ≥50 years. Our aim was to investigate a wide range ofAcoustic neuroma is a benign tumour accounting for approximately 6-10% of all intracranial tumours and occurs mainly in patients aged ≥50 years. Our aim was to investigate a wide range of occupational exposures, individual occupational titles and socioeconomic status (SES) as potential risk factors for acoustic neuroma. We conducted a population-based case-control study of 793 acoustic neuroma cases identified through the Swedish Cancer Registry and 101,762 randomly selected controls. Information on SES and occupation was obtained from censuses and linked to job-exposure matrices. Logistic regression was used to estimate ORs and calculate 95% CIs. An increased OR was seen for mercury exposure <10 years before the reference year (OR 2.9; 95% CI 1.2 to 6.8), and a more modest association for benzene exposure (OR 1.8; 95% CI: 1.0 to 3.2) ≥10 years before the reference year. We observed a threefold increased risk for females working as tailors and dressmakers ≥10 years before the reference year, and a more than threefold significantly elevated OR for those working as truck and conveyor operators <10 years before the reference year. We found no convincing evidence that SES is related to disease development. We observed an increased risk of acoustic neuroma associated with occupational exposure to mercury, benzene and textile dust. Men working as truck and conveyor operators <10 years before the reference year had the highest increased risk of acoustic neuroma, but it is unclear what in those occupations might contribute to disease development. Our study also suggested an association between acoustic neuroma and being a class teacher or policeman. However, these findings should be further investigated to exclude the possibility of detection bias.

• Parental autoimmune diseases associated with autism spectrum disorders in offspring.

  Authors: Alexander Keil, Julie L Daniels, Ulla Forssen, Christina Hultman, Sven Cnattingius, Karin C Söderberg, Maria Feychting, Par Sparen

  Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.). 11/2010; 21(6):805-8.

  Autism spectrum disorders are often idiopathic. Studies have suggested associations between immune response and these disorders. We explored associations between parental autoimmune disorders andAutism spectrum disorders are often idiopathic. Studies have suggested associations between immune response and these disorders. We explored associations between parental autoimmune disorders and children's diagnosis of autism by linking Swedish registries. Data for each participant were linked across 3 Swedish registries. The study includes 1227 cases and 25 matched controls for each case (30,693 controls with parental linkage). Parental diagnoses comprised 19 autoimmune disorders. We estimated odds ratios (ORs) using multivariable conditional logistic regression. Parental autoimmune disorder was weakly associated with autism spectrum disorders in offspring (maternal OR = 1.6 [95% confidence interval = 1.1-2.2]; paternal OR = 1.4 [1.0-2.0]). Several maternal autoimmune diseases were correlated with autism. For both parents, rheumatic fever was associated with autism spectrum disorders. These data support previously reported associations between parental autoimmune disorders and autism spectrum disorders. Parental autoimmune disorders may represent a critical pathway that warrants more detailed investigation.

• Non-participant characteristics and the association between socioeconomic factors and brain tumour risk.

  Authors: Annette Wigertz, Stefan Lönn, Per Hall, Maria Feychting

  Journal of epidemiology and community health. 08/2010; 64(8):736-43.

  The aim of the study was to identify demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of participants and non-participants in a Swedish population-based case-control study on brain tumours and toThe aim of the study was to identify demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of participants and non-participants in a Swedish population-based case-control study on brain tumours and to analyse the association between socioeconomic factors and glioma and meningioma risk. Record linkage was made to an official register to gather information on socioeconomic status, income, education and demography for all participating and non-participating cases and controls. 494 glioma cases, 321 meningioma cases and 955 controls were eligible and 74%, 85% and 70%, respectively, participated. Working status and income level were positively associated with participation among cases and controls. Among both cases and controls, being married, and having a high education were also associated with participation. Having a family income level in the highest quartile was associated with an increased glioma risk (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.1). This risk increase diminished when only participating individuals were included in the analysis. Socioeconomic factors were not associated with meningioma risk. Non-participation, related to socioeconomic factors, is a potential source of bias in case-control studies that should be acknowledged; however, the effect was not large in the present study due to the fact that the level of participation was comparable between cases and controls and participation was similarly influenced by socioeconomic factors among cases and controls. The association between a high income level and an increased glioma risk and possible underlying factors needs to be explored further.

• Interaction between 5 genetic variants and allergy in glioma risk.

  Authors: Minouk J Schoemaker, Lindsay Robertson, Annette Wigertz, Michael E Jones, Fay J Hosking, Maria Feychting, Stefan Lönn, Patricia A McKinney, Sarah J Hepworth, Kenneth R Muir, Anssi Auvinen, Tiina Salminen, Anne Kiuru, Christoffer Johansen, Richard S Houlston, Anthony J Swerdlow

  American journal of epidemiology. 06/2010; 171(11):1165-73.

  The etiology of glioma is barely known. Epidemiologic studies have provided evidence for an inverse relation between glioma risk and allergic disease. Genome-wide association data have identifiedThe etiology of glioma is barely known. Epidemiologic studies have provided evidence for an inverse relation between glioma risk and allergic disease. Genome-wide association data have identified common genetic variants at 5p15.33 (rs2736100, TERT), 8q24.21 (rs4295627, CCDC26), 9p21.3 (rs4977756, CDKN2A-CDKN2B), 11q23.3 (rs498872, PHLDB1), and 20q13.33 (rs6010620, RTEL1) as determinants of glioma risk. The authors investigated whether there is interaction between the effects of allergy and these 5 variants on glioma risk. Data from 5 case-control studies carried out in Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom (2000-2004) were used, totaling 1,029 cases and 1,668 controls. Risk was inversely associated with asthma, hay fever, eczema, and "any allergy," significantly for each factor except asthma, and was significantly positively associated with number of risk alleles for each of the 5 single nucleotide polymorphisms. There was interaction between asthma and rs498872 (greater protective effect of asthma with increasing number of risk alleles; per-allele interaction odds ratio (OR) = 0.65, P = 0.041), between "any allergy" and rs4977756 (smaller protective effect; interaction OR = 1.27, P = 0.047), and between "any allergy" and rs6010620 (greater protective effect; interaction OR = 0.70, P = 0.017). Case-only analyses provided further support for atopy interactions for rs4977756 and rs498872. This study provides evidence for possible gene-environment interactions in glioma development.

• A comprehensive study of the association between the EGFR and ERBB2 genes and glioma risk.

  Authors: Ulrika Andersson, Judith Schwartzbaum, Fredrik Wiklund, Sara Sjöström, Yanhong Liu, Spyros Tsavachidis, Anders Ahlbom, Anssi Auvinen, Helle Collatz-Laier, Maria Feychting, Christoffer Johansen, Anne Kiuru, Stefan Lönn, Minouk J Schoemaker, Anthony J Swerdlow, Roger Henriksson, Melissa Bondy, Beatrice Melin

  Acta oncologica (Stockholm, Sweden). 05/2010; 49(6):767-75.

  Glioma is the most common type of adult brain tumor and glioblastoma, its most aggressive form, has a dismal prognosis. Receptor tyrosine kinases such as the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR,Glioma is the most common type of adult brain tumor and glioblastoma, its most aggressive form, has a dismal prognosis. Receptor tyrosine kinases such as the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR, ERBB2, ERBB3, ERBB4) family, and the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR), play a central role in tumor progression. We investigated the genetic variants of EGFR, ERBB2, VEGFR and their ligands, EGF and VEGF on glioma and glioblastoma risk. In addition, we evaluated the association of genetic variants of a newly discovered family of genes known to interact with EGFR: LRIG2 and LRIG3 with glioma and glioblastoma risk. Methods. We analyzed 191 tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) capturing all common genetic variation of EGF, EGFR, ERBB2, LRIG2, LRIG3, VEGF and VEGFR2 genes. Material from four case-control studies with 725 glioma patients (329 of who were glioblastoma patients) and their 1 610 controls was used. Haplotype analyses were conducted using SAS/Genetics software. Results. Fourteen of the SNPs were significantly associated with glioma risk at p< 0.05, and 17 of the SNPs were significantly associated with glioblastoma risk at p< 0.05. In addition, we found that one EGFR haplotype was related to increased glioblastoma risk at p=0.009, Odds Ratio [OR] = 1.67 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.14, 2.45). The Bonferroni correction made all p-values non-significant. One SNP, rs4947986 next to the intron/exon boundary of exon 7 in EGFR, was validated in an independent data set of 713 glioblastoma and 2 236 controls, [OR] = 1.42 (95% CI: 1.06,1.91). Discussion. Previous studies show that regulation of the EGFR pathway plays a role in glioma progression but the present study is the first to find that certain genotypes of the EGFR gene may be related to glioblastoma risk. Further studies are required to reinvestigate these findings and evaluate the functional significance.

• Don't split your data.

  Authors: Henrik Källberg, Lars Alfredsson, Maria Feychting, Anders Ahlbom

  European journal of epidemiology. 03/2010; 25(5):283-4.

  False positive findings are a common problem in whole genome association studies. In this commentary we show that nothing is gained by randomly splitting a data sample to two equal sized subsets,False positive findings are a common problem in whole genome association studies. In this commentary we show that nothing is gained by randomly splitting a data sample to two equal sized subsets, where the first data subset is used for explorative purposes and the other sub set is used to confirm the findings in the first subset. We compare the random splitting procedure to using the full data sample for analysis, by using a Bayesian perspective with consideration taken to prior probability of a false positive finding.