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Dirty electricity, chronic stress, neurotransmitters and disease
Abstract and Figures
Dirty electricity, also called electrical pollution, is high-frequency voltage transients riding along the 50 or 60 Hz electricity provided by the electric utilities. It is generated by arcing, by sparking and by any device that interrupts current flow, especially switching power supplies. It has been associated with cancer, diabetes and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in humans. Epidemiological evidence also links dirty electricity to most of the diseases of civilization including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and suicide, beginning at the turn of the twentieth century. The dirty electricity level in a public library was reduced from over 10 000 Graham/Stetzer (G/S) units to below 50 G/S units by installing plug-in capacitive filters. Before cleanup, the urinary dopamine level of only one of seven volunteers was within normal levels, while four of seven phenylethylamine levels were normal. After an initial decline, over the next 18 weeks the dopamine levels gradually increased to an average of over 215 μg/g creatinine, which is well above 170 μg/g creatinine, the high normal level for the lab. Average phenylethylamine levels also rose gradually to slightly above 70 μg/g creatinine, the high normal level for the lab. Neurotransmitters may be biomarkers for dirty electricity and other electromagnetic field exposures. We believe that dirty electricity is a chronic stressor of electrified populations and is responsible for many of their disease patterns.
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... The proponents of this hypothesis claim DE is the cause of a host of outcomes ranging from cancer, diabetes (or aggravate diabetes by affecting insulin levels), and multiple sclerosis to chronic stress and suicide. In fact, it has been alleged that DE may be responsible for "most of the diseases of civilization" (33). ...
... DE is a rapidly time-varying transient voltage and is also, and more neutrally, referred to as "high-frequency voltage transients (HFVTs). " DE has also been measured using an oscilloscope (33) or a multimeter set to peak to peak voltage with filtering to remove 60 Hz and its harmonics (49,58). Little if any information is given in the literature that can be used to relate the readings of either to those of the Stetzerizer ® Microsurge meter. ...
... One trial has been conducted since the previous review, but this can be best described as a non-randomized, non-controlled, and non-blinded intervention (33). Scientific issues as well as issues with missing conflict of interest information in this publication were highlighted in a letter to the editor, but after the authors addressed the latter, the editor decided not to publish the letter as a whole. ...
Conclusions of epidemiological studies describing adverse health effects as a result of exposure to electromagnetic fields are not unanimous and often contradictory. It has been proposed that an explanation could be that high-frequency voltage transients [dirty electricity (DE)] which are superimposed on 50/60-Hz fields, but are generally not measured, are the real causal agent. DE has been linked to many different health and wellbeing effects, and on the basis of this, an industry selling measurement and filtering equipment is growing. We reviewed the available peer-reviewed evidence for DE as a causal agent for adverse human health effects. A literature search was performed in the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and additional publications were obtained from reference lists and from the gray literature. This search resulted in 25 publications; 16 included primary epidemiological and/or exposure data. All studies were reviewed by both authors independently, and including a re-review of studies included in a review of data available up to July 31, 2009 by one of the authors. DE has been measured differently in different studies and comparison data are not available. There is no evidence for 50 Graham/Stetzer (GS) units as a safety threshold being anything more than arbitrary. The epidemiological evidence on human health effects of DE is primarily based on, often re-used, case descriptions. Quantitative evidence relies on self-reporting in non-blinded interventions, ecological associations, and one cross-sectional cohort study of cancer risk, which does not point to DE as the causal agent. The available evidence for DE as an exposure affecting human health at present does not stand up to scientific scrutiny.
... While IWT-specific electrical-field research is limited, there are global discussions regarding exposure to EMFs-including the deployment of 5G technology. Internationally, authorities, [72][73][74][75][76] physicians, [77][78][79][80][81][82][83][84][85][86][87][88] researchers, [63,68,[89][90][91][92][93][94][95] and others [96][97][98][99][100][101][102][103][104][105][106] have expressed concerns associated with exposure to EMFs in general. ...
Introduction
The risk of harm associated with living within 10 km of industrial wind turbines (IWTs) is unresolved and continues to be debated internationally. While sources such as judicial proceedings, scientific literature, social media, and Internet websites report that some neighbors contemplate leaving their homes, research on this topic is limited. This study continues to explore why they contemplated such a housing decision.
Methodology
The ethics-reviewed study used the qualitative Grounded Theory (GT) methodology and interviewed 67 consenting participants, 18 years or older, who had previously lived, or were currently living, within 10 km of IWTs. Audio files were transcribed to text and the data were coded and analyzed using NVivo Pro (v. 12.6) software.
Objectives
The objective of this manuscript is to explore participants’ descriptions of their medical diagnoses provided by their physicians and physician specialists.
Results
Data analysis revealed primary and subthemes associated with environmental interference and altered living conditions. Of the 67 participants, eight described their diagnoses of medical conditions as given by their physicians and physician specialists. Descriptions of conversations with participants’ health-care providers were also surveyed.
Discussion
Medical diagnoses, descriptions of comments by health practitioners and the commonality of globally reported adverse health effects (AHEs), support the potential risk of locating IWTs near residential areas. It is recommended that members of the public, government authorities, policy makers, researchers, health practitioners, and social scientists with an interest in health policy and disease prevention acknowledge this risk and advocate for the immediate, effective, and timely resolution for affected neighbors.
Conclusions
The GT methodology was used to develop a substantive theory regarding the housing decisions of participants living within 10 km of a Wind Power Plant. Results from the interviews indicate that these decisions were motivated by the potential for, or the experience of, AHEs which they attributed to living in proximity to these installations.
... So called "dirty electricity" consists of high-frequency voltage transients in the 50 and 60 Hz power supply system generated by arcing, sparking and devices that interrupt currents flow. Milham and Stetzer (2013) reported the result from an intervention study performed in a public library where "dirty electricity" was reduced from over 10,000 Graham/Stetzer to below 50 G/S units by installing plug-in capacitive filters on 11 th of October 2011. In 7 volunteers working in the library, urinary dopamine end phenylethylamine (PEA) was determined a few days before and after the intervention and every 2 weeks for the next 18 weeks. ...
... First epidemiological evidence links dirty electricity to most of the diseases of civilization including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, suicide, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in humans (222). ...
Chronic diseases and illnesses associated with non-specific symptoms are on the rise. In addition to chronic stress in social and work environments, physical and chemical exposures at home, at work, and during leisure activities are causal or contributing environmental stressors that deserve attention by the general practitioner as well as by all other members of the health care community. It seems necessary now to take "new exposures" like electromagnetic fields (EMF) into account. Physicians are increasingly confronted with health problems from unidentified causes. Studies, empirical observations, and patient reports clearly indicate interactions between EMF exposure and health problems. Individual susceptibility and environmental factors are frequently neglected. New wireless technologies and applications have been introduced without any certainty about their health effects, raising new challenges for medicine and society. For instance, the issue of so-called non-thermal effects and potential long-term effects of low-dose exposure were scarcely investigated prior to the introduction of these technologies. Common electromagnetic field or EMF sources: Radio-frequency radiation (RF) (3 MHz to 300 GHz) is emitted from radio and TV broadcast antennas, Wi-Fi access points, routers, and clients (e.g. smartphones, tablets), cordless and mobile phones including their base stations, and Bluetooth devices. Extremely low frequency electric (ELF EF) and magnetic fields (ELF MF) (3 Hz to 3 kHz) are emitted from electrical wiring, lamps, and appliances. Very low frequency electric (VLF EF) and magnetic fields (VLF MF) (3 kHz to 3 MHz) are emitted, due to harmonic voltage and current distortions, from electrical wiring, lamps (e.g. compact fluorescent lamps), and electronic devices. On the one hand, there is strong evidence that long-term exposure to certain EMFs is a risk factor for diseases such as certain cancers, Alzheimer's disease, and male infertility. On the other hand, the emerging electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) is more and more recognized by health authorities, disability administrators and case workers, politicians, as well as courts of law. We recommend treating EHS clinically as part of the group of chronic multisystem illnesses (CMI), but still recognizing that the underlying cause remains the environment. In the beginning, EHS symptoms occur only occasionally, but over time they may increase in frequency and severity. Common EHS symptoms include headaches, concentration difficulties, sleep problems, depression, a lack of energy, fatigue, and flu-like symptoms. A comprehensive medical history, which should include all symptoms and their occurrences in spatial and temporal terms and in the context of EMF exposures, is the key to making the diagnosis. The EMF exposure is usually assessed by EMF measurements at home and at work. Certain types of EMF exposure can be assessed by asking about common EMF sources. It is very important to take the individual susceptibility into account. The primary method of treatment should mainly focus on the prevention or reduction of EMF exposure, that is, reducing or eliminating all sources of high EMF exposure at home and at the workplace. The reduction of EMF exposure should also be extended to public spaces such as schools, hospitals, public transport, and libraries to enable persons with EHS an unhindered use (accessibility measure). If a detrimental EMF exposure is reduced sufficiently, the body has a chance to recover and EHS symptoms will be reduced or even disappear. Many examples have shown that such measures can prove effective. To increase the effectiveness of the treatment, the broad range of other environmental factors that contribute to the total body burden should also be addressed. Anything that supports homeostasis will increase a person's resilience against disease and thus against the adverse effects of EMF exposure. There is increasing evidence that EMF exposure has a major impact on the oxidative and nitrosative regulation capacity in affected individuals. This concept also may explain why the level of susceptibility to EMF can change and why the range of symptoms reported in the context of EMF exposures is so large. Based on our current understanding, a treatment approach that minimizes the adverse effects of peroxynitrite - as has been increasingly used in the treatment of multisystem illnesses - works best. This EMF Guideline gives an overview of the current knowledge regarding EMF-related health risks and provides recommendations for the diagnosis, treatment and accessibility measures of EHS to improve and restore individual health outcomes as well as for the development of strategies for prevention.
Elektrik alan ve manyetik alanın birleşimiyle oluşan elektromanyetik alana maruz kalmanın sağlık üzerine çok çeşitli etkileri söz konusudur. Bu çalışmanın amacı, elektrik-elektronik mühendislerinin ve bu bölümde eğitim gören öğrencilerin, çok düşük frekanslı elektromanyetik alan (ÇDF-EMA)'nın insan sağlığı üzerine olumsuz etkileri hakkındaki düşüncelerini, mevcut sağlık sorunları/semptomları ile ÇDF-EMA’yı nasıl ilişkilendirdiklerini ve ÇDF-EMA’ya neden olan cihazların kullanımı ile ilgili davranışlarını incelemektir. Katılımcıların %58,8’inin günlük hayatta elektromanyetik alana çok fazla maruz kaldıklarını düşündükleri ve %44,8’inin elektromanyetik alanların zararlı olduğu düşüncesiyle endişelendikleri tespit edilmiştir. Sağlık etkileri hakkındaki düşünceleri incelendiğinde, ÇDF-EMA’nın sağlık üzerine olumsuz etkisi olduğunu düşünenlerin oranı %40,8 olarak belirlenmiştir. Aktif çalışan mühendisler arasında ÇDF-EMA’nın sağlık üzerinde olumsuz etkileri olduğunu düşünenlerin oranı (%51,8), lisans ve lisansüstü öğrencileri arasında sağlık üzerinde olumsuz etkileri olduğunu düşünenlere göre (%39,4) istatistiksel açıdan önemli bir şekilde yüksek bulunmuştur (p=0,008). Benzer şekilde, ikinci sınıf ve üstü öğrenciler arasında ÇDF-EMA’nın sağlık üzerine olumsuz etkileri olduğunu düşünenlerin oranı (%42,6) birinci sınıf öğrencilerine göre (%35,4) istatistiksel açıdan önemli bir şekilde yüksek bulunmuştur (p=0,043). ÇDF-EMA’nın sağlık üzerine olumsuz etkileri olduğunu düşünenlerin ÇDF-EMA kaynağı cihazların kullanımına yönelik davranış puanları (21,7±3,7) ile etkisi olmadığını düşünenlerin puanları (21,8±3,7) arasında istatistiksel açıdan önemli bir fark bulunmamıştır (p=0,368). ÇDF-EMA’nın sağlık üzerine olumsuz etkileri olduğu düşüncesinin, ÇDF-EMA kaynağı cihazların kullanımına yönelik olumlu davranış üzerinde etkili olmadığı belirlenmiştir.
The epidemiology of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) has a number of facets that do not fit with sunlight and ultraviolet light as the primary etiologic agents. Indoor workers have higher incidence and mortality rates of CMM than outdoor workers; CMM occurs in body locations never exposed to sunlight; CMM incidence is increasing in spite of use of UV blocking agents and small changes in solar radiation.
Installation of two new fluorescent lights in the milking parlor holding area of a Minnesota dairy farm in 2015 caused an immediate drop in milk production. This lead to measurement of body amperage in humans exposed to modern non-incandescent lighting. People exposed to old and new fluorescent lights, light emitting diodes (LED) and compact fluorescent lights (CFL) had body amperage levels above those considered carcinogenic. We hypothesize that modern electric lighting is a significant health hazard, a carcinogen, and is causing increasing CMM incidence in indoor office workers and tanning bed users. These lights generate dirty electricity (high frequency voltage transients), radio frequency (RF) radiation, and increase body amperage, all of which have been shown to be carcinogenic. This could explain the failure of ultraviolet blockers to stem the malignant melanoma pandemic. Tanning beds and non-incandescent lighting could be made safe by incorporating a grounded Faraday cage which allows passage of ultraviolet and visible light frequencies and blocks other frequencies. Modern electric lighting should be fabricated to be electrically clean.
Chronic diseases and illnesses associated with unspecific symptoms are on the rise. In addition to chronic stress in social and work environments, physical and chemical exposures at home, at work, and during leisure activities are causal or contributing environmental stressors that deserve attention by the general practitioner as well as by all other members of the health care community. It seems certainly necessary now to take "new exposures" like electromagnetic field (EMF) into account. Physicians are increasingly confronted with health problems from unidentified causes. Studies, empirical observations, and patient reports clearly indicate interactions between EMF exposure and health problems. Individual susceptibility and environmental factors are frequently neglected. New wireless technologies and applications have been introduced without any certainty about their health effects, raising new challenges for medicine and society. For instance, the issue of so-called non-thermal effects and potential long-term effects of low-dose exposure were scarcely investigated prior to the introduction of these technologies. Common EMF sources include Wi-Fi access points, routers and clients, cordless and mobile phones including their base stations, Bluetooth devices, ELF magnetic fields from net currents, ELF electric fields from electric lamps and wiring close to the bed and office desk. On the one hand, there is strong evidence that long-term-exposure to certain EMF exposures is a risk factor for diseases such as certain cancers, Alzheimer's disease and male infertility. On the other hand, the emerging electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) is more and more recognized by health authorities, disability administrators and case workers, politicians, as well as courts of law. We recommend treating EHS clinically as part of the group of chronic multisystem illnesses (CMI) leading to a functional impairment (EHS), but still recognizing that the underlying cause remains the environment. In the beginning, EHS symptoms often occur only occasionally, but over time they may increase in frequency and severity. Common EHS symptoms include headaches, concentration difficulties, sleeping problems, depression, lack of energy, fatigue and flu-like symptoms. A comprehensive medical history, which should include all symptoms and their occurrences in spatial and temporal terms and in the context of EMF exposures, is the key to the diagnosis. The EMF exposure can be assessed by asking for typical sources like Wi-Fi access points, routers and clients, cordless and mobile phones and measurements at home and at work. It is very important to take the individual susceptibility into account. The primary method of treatment should mainly focus on the prevention or reduction of EMF exposure, that is, reducing or eliminating all sources of EMF at home and in the workplace. The reduction of EMF exposure should also be extended to public spaces such as schools, hospitals, public transport, and libraries to enable persons with EHS an unhindered use (accessibility measure). If a detrimental EMF exposure is reduced sufficiently, the body has a chance to recover and EHS symptoms will be reduced or even disappear. Many examples have shown that such measures can prove effective. Also the survival rate of children with leukemia depends on ELF magnetic field exposure at home. To increase the effectiveness of the treatment, the broad range of other environmental factors that contribute to the total body burden should also be addressed. Anything that supports a balanced homeostasis will increase a person's resilience against disease and thus against the adverse effects of EMF exposure. There is increasing evidence that EMF exposure has a major impact on the oxidative and nitrosative regulation capacity in affected individuals. This concept also may explain why the level of susceptibility to EMF can change and why the number of symptoms reported in the context of EMF exposures is so large. Based on our current understanding, a treatment approach that minimizes the adverse effects of peroxynitrite - as has been increasingly used in the treatment of multisystem disorders - works best. This EMF Guideline gives an overview of the current knowledge regarding EMF-related health risks and provides concepts for the diagnosis and treatment and accessibility measures of EHS to improve and restore individual health outcomes as well as for the development of strategies for prevention.
Public Utility Commissions (PUC) in several states adopted 0.5volt rms (root mean squared) or 1.0milliampere as the actionable limit for utilities to respond to complaints of uncontrolled voltage. This study clearly shows that the actionable level should be reduced to 10mV p-p (peak-to-peak), which is 140 times less than the current standard. Dairy farmer complaints that animal behavior and milk production were affected by electrical shocks below adopted standards were investigated on 12 farms in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota. Milk production per cow was determined from daily tank-weight pickup and number of cows milked. Number of transient events, transients, voltage p-p, waveform phase angle degree, sags, and sag-Vrms were measured from event recorders plugged into milk house wall outlets. Data from 1705 cows and 939 data points were analyzed by multiherd least-squares multiple regression and SAS-ANOVA statistical programs. In five herds for 517days, milk/cow/day decreased -0.0281kg/transient event as transient events increased from 0 to 122/day (P<0.02). Negative effects on milk/cow/day from event recorder measurements were significant for eight independent electrical variables. Step-potential voltage and frequency of earth currents were measured by oscilloscope from metal plates grouted into the floor of milking stalls. Milk decreased as number of 3rd, 5th, 7th, 21st, 28th, and 42nd harmonics and the sum of triplen harmonics (3rd, 9th, 15th, 21st, 27th, 33rd, and 39th) increased/day (P<0.003). Event recorder transient events were positively correlated with oscilloscope average V p-p event readings. Steps/min counted from videotapes of a dancing cow with no contact to metal in the barnyard were correlated with non-sinusoidal 8.1 to 14.6mV p-p impulses recorded by oscilloscope for 5min from EKG patches on legs. PUC standards and use of 500-Ohm resistors in test circuits underestimate effects of non-sinusoidal, higher frequency voltage/current common on rural power lines.
We previously demonstrated that repeated exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) increases locomotor activity via stimulation of dopaminergic D1 receptor (J. Pharmacol. Sci., 2007;105:367-371). Since it has been demonstrated that activator protein-1 (AP-1) transcription factors, especially 35-kDa fos-related antigen (FRA), play a key role in the neuronal and behavioral adaptation in response to various stimuli, we examined whether repeated ELF-MF exposure induces FRA-immunoreactivity (FRA-IR) in the striatum and nucleus accumbens (striatal complex) of the mice. Repeated exposure to ELF-MF (0.3 or 2.4 mT, 1 h/day, for consecutive fourteen days) significantly induced hyperlocomotor activity and FRA-IR in the striatal complex in a field intensity-dependent manner. ELF-MF-induced FRA-IR lasted for at least 1 year, while locomotor activity returned near control level 3 months after the final exposure to ELF-MF. Pretreatment with SCH23390, a dopaminergic D1 receptor antagonist, but not with sulpiride, a dopaminergic D2 receptor antagonist, significantly attenuated hyperlocomotor activity and FRA-IR induced by ELF-MF. Our results suggest that repeated exposure to ELF-MF leads to prolonged locomotor stimulation and long-term expression of FRA in the striatal complex of the mice via stimulation of dopaminergic D1 receptor.
The authors examined the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and apolipoprotein E allele frequencies in the Old Order Amish. A lower frequency of dementia in the Amish does not appear to be due to a reduced E4 frequency.
We previously found that forest environments reduced stress hormones such as adrenaline and noradrenaline and showed the relaxing effect both in male and female subjects. In the present study, we investigated the effects of walking under forest environments on cardiovascular and metabolic parameters. Sixteen healthy male subjects (mean age 57.4 ± 11.6 years) were selected after obtaining informed consent. The subjects took day trips to a forest park in the suburbs of Tokyo and to an urban area of Tokyo as a control in September 2010. On both trips, they walked for 2 h in the morning and afternoon on a Sunday. Blood and urine were sampled on the morning before each trip and after each trip. Blood pressure was measured on the morning (0800) before each trip, at noon (1300), in the afternoon (1600) during each trip, and on the morning (0800) after each trip. The day trip to the forest park significantly reduced blood pressure and urinary noradrenaline and dopamine levels and significantly increased serum adiponectin and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) levels. Walking exercise also reduced the levels of serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and urinary dopamine. Taken together, habitual walking in forest environments may lower blood pressure by reducing sympathetic nerve activity and have beneficial effects on blood adiponectin and DHEA-S levels, and habitual walking exercise may have beneficial effects on blood NT-proBNP levels.
Increased production of peripheral cytokines and other pro-inflammatory markers has been linked to psychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Recent research has pointed to early-life stress, particularly childhood maltreatment, as an independent and preventable risk factor for systemic inflammation in adulthood. Some data suggest that adults with a history of childhood maltreatment exhibit a heightened inflammatory response to acute stress challenge. To further elucidate the relationship between childhood maltreatment and pro-inflammatory cytokine production, we examined plasma IL-6 response to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) in 69 healthy adult subjects without depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. Serial plasma IL-6 concentrations were measured during a standardized psychosocial stressor in n=19 subjects with moderate-severe childhood maltreatment (MAL), and n=50 controls without maltreatment (CTL), as indicated by self-ratings on the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ). CTQ total scores were positively correlated with overall change in IL-6 response, as well as the maximum IL-6 concentration during the TSST. Greater acute IL-6 release and higher IL-6 concentrations over time were observed for the MAL group relative to the CTL group. Inflammation may be an important developmental mediator linking adverse experiences in early life to poor adult physical and mental health. The results of this preliminary study warrant further investigation in a larger sample.
The effect of a temporally incoherent magnetic field noise on microwave-induced DNA single and double strand breaks in rat brain cells was investigated. Four treatment groups of rats were studied: microwave-exposure (continuous-wave 2450-MHz microwaves, power density 1 mW/cm2, average whole-body specific absorption rate of 0.6 W/kg), noise-exposure (45 mG), microwave + noise-exposure, and sham-exposure. Animals were exposed to these conditions for 2h. DNA single- and double-strand breaks in brain cells of these animals were assayed 4h later using a microgel electrophoresis assay. Results show that brain cells of microwave-exposed rats had significantly higher levels of DNA single- and double-strand breaks when compared with sham-exposed animals. Exposure to noise alone did not significantly affect the levels (i.e., they were similar to those of the sham-exposed rats). However, simultaneous noise exposure blocked microwave-induced increases in DNA strand breaks. These data indicate that simultaneous exposure to a temporally incoherent magnetic field could block microwave-induced DNA damage in brain cells of the rat.
Objectives:
This study is concerned with assessing the role of exposure to radio frequency radiation (RFR) emitted either from mobiles or base stations and its relations with human's hormone profiles.
Design and methods:
All volunteers' samples were collected for hormonal analysis.
Results:
This study showed significant decrease in volunteers' ACTH, cortisol, thyroid hormones, prolactin for young females, and testosterone levels.
Conclusion:
The present study revealed that high RFR effects on pituitary-adrenal axis.
To determine whether maternal exposure to high levels of magnetic fields (MFs) during pregnancy is associated with the risk of asthma in offspring.
A prospective cohort study.
Kaiser Permanente Northern California.
Pregnant Kaiser Permanente Northern California members in the San Francisco area.
Asthma was clinically diagnosed among 626 children who were followed up for as long as 13 years. All participants carried a meter to measure their MF levels during pregnancy.
After adjustment for potential confounders, a statistically significant linear dose-response relationship was observed between increasing maternal median daily MF exposure level in pregnancy and an increased risk of asthma in offspring: every 1-mG increase of maternal MF level during pregnancy was associated with a 15% increased rate of asthma in offspring (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-1.27). Using the categorical MF level, the results showed a similar dose-response relationship: compared with the children whose mothers had a low MF level (median 24-hour MF level, ≤0.3 mG) during pregnancy, children whose mothers had a high MF level (>2.0 mG) had more than a 3.5-fold increased rate of asthma (aHR, 3.52; 95% CI, 1.68-7.35), while children whose mothers had a medium MF level (>0.3-2.0 mG) had a 74% increased rate of asthma (aHR, 1.74; 95% CI, 0.93-3.25). A statistically significant synergistic interaction was observed between the MF effect and a maternal history of asthma and birth order (firstborn).
Our findings provide new epidemiological evidence that high maternal MF levels in pregnancy may increase the risk of asthma in offspring.