Fiore M, Parisio R, Filippini T, Mantione V, Platania A, Odone A, Signorelli C, Pietrini V, Mandrioli J, Teggi S, Costanzini S, Cristaldi A, Zuccarello P, Oliveri Conti G, Nicoletti A, Zappia M, Vinceti M, Ferrante M
Environ Res. 2020 Apr 15;186:109530. DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109530
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies highlighted the possibility that exposure to cyanotoxins leads to the development of the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). METHODS: We devised a population-based case-control study in two Italian populations. We used residential proximity of the residence to water bodies as a measure of possible exposure to cyanotoxins. RESULTS: Based on 703 newly-diagnosed ALS cases and 2737 controls, we calculated an ALS odds ratio (OR) of 1.41 (95% CI: 0.72-2.74) for current residence in the vicinity of water bodies, and a slightly lower estimate for historical residence (OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 0.57-2.99). Subjects <65 years and people living in the Northern Italy province of Modena had higher ORs, especially when historical residence was considered. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, despite some risk of bias due to exposure misclassification and unmeasured confounding, our results appear to support the hypothesis that cyanotoxin exposure may increase ALS risk.