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Does snoring predict sleepiness independently of apnea and hypopnea frequency?

Obstructive apneas and hypopneas during sleep are a well recognized cause of excessive daytime sleepiness. Snoring is also associated with excess sleepiness, although it is not known whether this reflects an independent effect of snoring or whether snoring is simply a marker for obstructive sleep apnea. To further explore the relation of snoring to sleepiness, we conducted a cross-sectional cohort study of community-dwelling adults participating in the Sleep Heart Health Study. The study sample comprises 2,737 men and 3,040 women with a mean age of 64 (SD 11) yr. Sleepiness was quantified using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Snoring history was obtained via a self-completion questionnaire. The respiratory disturbance index (RDI), defined as the number of apneas plus hypopneas per hour of sleep, was measured during in-home polysomnography. The ESS score increased progressively with increasing RDI, from a mean of 7.1 (4.2) in subjects with RDI < 1.5 to 8.8 (4.8) in subjects with RDI >/= 15 (p < 0.001). A progressive increase in ESS score was also seen across five categories of snoring frequency, from 6.4 (4.2) in current nonsnorers to 9.3 (4.8) in subjects who snored six to seven nights per week (p < 0.001). The prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness, defined as an ESS score >/= 11, increased from 15% in never-snorers to 39% in those who snored six to seven nights per week. The relation of snoring to sleepiness was seen at all levels of RDI, with no significant change in the relation of snoring to ESS score after adjustment for RDI in multivariate models. The effects of snoring and RDI on sleepiness were little affected by adjustment for age, sex, race, body mass index, or questionnaire evidence of insufficient sleep time or nocturnal leg jerks or cramps. We conclude that both snoring and RDI are independently associated with excess sleepiness in community-dwelling, middle-aged and older adults.

Adult↗

Characteristics of the snoring noise in patients with and without occlusive sleep apnea.

We analyzed snoring noise from 10 nonapneic heavy snorers and nine patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Sound was recorded simultaneously through two microphones, one attached to the manubrium sterni and one suspended in the air 15 cm from the patient's head. Signals were stored on magnetic tape, digitized, and displayed in the time and frequency domains. Most of the power of snoring noise was below 2,000 Hz, and the peak power was usually below 500 Hz. When snores were generated during nose-only breathing (nasal snores), the sound spectrum was made up of a series of discrete, sharp peaks, with a fundamental note and harmonics similar to the spectrum of voiced sounds. When snores were generated during breathing through nose and mouth (oronasal snores), the spectra showed a mixture of sharp peaks and broad-band white noise. Patients with apnea showed a sequence of snores with spectral characteristics that varied markedly through an apnea-respiration cycle. The first postapneic snore consisted mainly of broad-band white noise with relatively more power at higher frequencies, so that the ratio of power above 800 Hz to power below 800 Hz could be used to separate snorers from patients with OSA. Other breaths in the cycle resembled oronasal or nasal snores in nonapneic subjects. Characteristics of the noise give information about the possible mechanism of sound generation and thus about the behavior of the pharynx during snoring. Quality of snoring sound may help to separate patients with obstructive apnea from those with simple snoring.

Adolescent↗

Relationship of snoring and sleepiness as presenting symptoms in a sleep clinic population.

OBJECTIVES: Sleepiness has traditionally been considered medically the cardinal symptom of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Snoring is perceived as a social or cosmetic complaint. Without independent medical morbidity, snoring identification and treatment is not a major focus in sleep medicine. We speculate that snoring is a major independent symptom. To evaluate how patients rated snoring symptom severity, we compared the relative significance of a sleep clinic population's presenting symptoms of snoring and sleepiness. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 770 consecutive patients who completed sleep intake evaluation forms at the initial clinic visit, including standardized forms for both sleepiness and snoring using previously validated visual analog scales. Data on symptom magnitude (scale of 1 to 10), symptom importance (scale of 1 to 5), a combined symptom product score consisting of magnitude multiplied by importance (MIP; scale of 1 to 50), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS; n = 599), and the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI; n = 482; mean +/- SD, 35.6 +/- 31.9 events per hour) were collected. RESULTS: The mean snoring measures (magnitude, importance, and MIP) were greater than those for sleepiness (MIPsnoring of 32.7 +/- 14.8 versus MIPsleepiness of 22.4 +/- 14.2, p < .001). Snoring scored higher than sleepiness in 72% of individuals. To assess whether sleep apnea or sleepiness severity affected symptom scores, we stratified the subgroup with sleep studies into quartiles by AHI and ESS score. Snoring consistently scored higher than sleepiness in most AHI and ESS quartiles (p < .01). Only in the most severe ESS quartile did any sleepiness measure (importance) score higher than the snoring measure (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The presenting symptoms of snoring are larger in magnitude, importance, and severity than those of sleepiness in a broad population of patients with sleep disorders and sleep-disordered breathing irrespective of severity of sleep apnea or sleepiness. Symptoms of major significance are clinically relevant to identifying, diagnosing, and treating patients. Failure of medical providers to appreciate the impact of snoring on this population may affect attempts to identify, diagnose, and treat patients with sleep-disordered breathing.

Adult↗

Snoring: analysis, measurement, clinical implications and applications.

Snoring was described in literature even before medicine. Common definitions do not consider acoustic measurements of snoring. In this paper we discuss the main pathophysiological aspects of snoring and the snoring-sleep relationship as the generating mechanisms. Snoring can be analysed and measured by the following methods: 1) Leq-Equivalent Continuous Sound Level, which only quantifies noisiness, annoyance, and damage to the partner's and snorer's hearing; 2) Power Spectrum, with frequency values, formantic structure data and typical shape, which can help to distinguish simple snoring from heavy snoring with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS); 3) Linear Prediction Code (LPC) method, which can define the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the upper airways and which locates sites of obstruction. Simulated snoring analysis with LPC and with simultaneous fluoroscopy permits the definition of CSA and the identification of three snoring patterns: nasal, oral and oronasal. Snoring is an important sign of sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD), of the upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS), and of the OSAS. Snoring is a symptom of nasal obstruction and is associated with cardiovascular diseases and nocturnal asthma as a trigger or causative factor; however, its acoustic features in these disorders are not well-defined. Home monitoring of snoring is very useful for epidemiology and is mandatory, together with heart rate and arterial oxygen saturation (Sa,O2), to screen SRBD.

Asthma↗

[The prevalence of snoring in adult population].

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of habitual snoring in adult population and the relationship between habitual snoring and accompanying factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional, epidemiological study was conducted to evaluate snoring and accompanying factors. Data of 1245 persons (629 females, 616 males; mean age 45.0+/-12.2) were evaluated. A questionnaire was administered to draw information on their sociodemographic data, the incidence of snoring, the presence of witnessed apnea during sleep, the severity of snoring and its changes depending on the body position, their willingness to receive treatment for snoring, the presence of alcohol or cigarette consumption, and hypertension and coronary disease. Height and weight measurements were performed to calculate body mass index. The results were evaluated using the chi-square test and a multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of habitual snoring was 8.9% in females and 29.5% in males. Multivariate analyses showed that male sex, age over 40 years, obesity, smoking, and the use of alcohol were significant risk factors for habitual snoring. Hypertension and coronary heart disease were statistically more common in individuals with habitual snoring. The severity of snoring was high enough in 2.1% of females and in 9.4% of males to force their roommates to leave the room, making 1.1% of females and 3.4% of males to show willingness to receive medical attention. CONCLUSION: Habitual snoring is a frequent complaint in our country. Inquiry into the presence of habitual snoring is necessary in adults and patients should be subjected to a detailed examination for respiratory disorders during sleep.

Adult↗

Breathing pattern during sleep disruptive snoring.

Breathing disturbances during snoring have been quantified by face mask pneumotachography and oesophageal catheters. In order to nonobtrusively investigate respiratory mechanics during nonapnoeic snoring in relation to sleep disturbances, we employed calibrated respiratory inductive plethysmography (RIP). In 10 snorers, RIP recordings were studied during nonapnoeic snoring without arousals in non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, nonapnoeic snoring with repetitive arousals in NREM sleep and wakefulness. Results were compared to RIP recordings in undisturbed NREM sleep and wakefulness in seven healthy nonsnorers. Compared to wakefulness and undisturbed NREM sleep in nonsnorers, snoring was associated with predominant thoracic breathing, ribcage/abdominal asynchrony, and increased fractional inspiratory time. Preceding arousals during snoring, inspiratory flattening of time-derivatives of RIP volume signals, and marked ribcage/abdominal asynchrony indicated pronounced flow limitation. Low variation coefficients of respiratory cycle time (<10%) and tidal volume (<20%) discriminated snoring periods without arousals from snoring periods with arousals and from wakefulness periods, with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 99%. Snoring periods with arousals were identified by the presence of snoring combined with high coefficients of variation of cycle time (> or =10%) and tidal volume (> or =20%), with a sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of 100%. Thus, characteristic patterns of ribcage/abdominal motion recorded by respiratory inductive plethysmography differentiated breathing in sleep disruptive snoring from simple snoring.

Adult↗

Radiofrequency tissue volume reduction of the soft palate and UPPP in the treatment of snoring.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of radiofrequency tissue volume reduction (RFTVR) and uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) in the treatment of snoring in a prospective clinical trial of 79 patients consecutively undergoing surgery for snoring. Seventy-nine patients with primary snoring or mild OSAS (obstructive sleep apnea syndrome) were enrolled in this clinical trial (66 males and 13 females). According to the anatomical findings (the size of the tonsils and uvula), the patients underwent UPPP/TE of the RFTVR of the soft palate. Forty-seven patients had UPPP/TE (age 45.81+/-12.11 years; median AHI: 8; range 1-29). Thirty-two patients were treated with RFTVR of the soft palate (age 48.10+/-10.92; median AHI: 5.0; range 0-26). The average number of treatments was 2.2. All patients underwent preoperative polysomnography to exclude severe OSAS. Pre- and postoperative snoring scores were evaluated from the patients with bed partners. Postoperative follow-up data were collected at a median of 4 months after treatment; 85.1% of the UPPP group and 53.1% of the RFTVR group underwent postoperative polysomnography. Subjective snoring scores of all study participants were evaluated. Preoperatively, there was no statistically significant difference of subjective symptoms, age and BMI between the two groups. The snoring scores improved statistically significantly in both groups (P <0.001 in the UPPP group; P =0.001 in the RFTVR group). After UPPP/TE snoring improved in 37 patients (78.7%), and 29 (61.7%) thereof were free of bothersome snoring; no change was found in 9 patients (19.2%), and 1 (2.1%) worsened. In the RFTVR group, snoring improved in 15 (46.9%), and 9 (28.1%) thereof were free of bothersome snoring; no change was found in 13 patients (50%), and 1 worsened (3.1%). Preoperative AHI was statistically higher (P =0.016) and mean minimal oxygen saturation significantly lower (P =0.002) in the UPPP group. In the UPPP group AHI and HI showed statistically significant improvement postoperatively (P =0.025 and P =0.034, respectively). After RFTVR, no statistically significant change of AHI, HI or oxygen saturation was found. Besides limited mucosal erosions (15%) after RFTVR and foreign body sensations (<10%) after UPPP/TE, no side effects were observed. The success rate of RFTVR of the soft palate is lower compared to the more invasive technique of UPPP. Due to its minimally invasive character, RFTVR is suitable as first-step treatment for snoring, but patients should be counseled about possible success rates and different treatment options.

Catheter Ablation↗

Snoring and vascular risk factors and disease in a low-risk Chinese population: the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Snoring is a common condition, but data describing the relationship between snoring and vascular disease is very limited in Asian populations. We therefore describe the association between snoring and vascular disease and associated risk factors. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of baseline data from the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study. SETTING: Community-based elderly association from Guangzhou, China. PARTICIPANTS: 10413 Chinese subjects (50-85 years of age). MEASUREMENTS: Self-reported snoring status and frequency and frequency of daytime tiredness were collected by questionnaire, as were demographic and socioeconomic data, disease histories, and potential confounders, such as smoking and alcohol consumption. Anthropometry, blood pressure, and fasting glucose and lipid profile were also measured. RESULTS: Self-reported snoring frequency was identified in 8325 (80.0%) subjects, with 51.6% reporting that they snored, of whom 15.5% were daily snorers. Increasing prevalence of snoring showed a clear positive relationship with cardiovascular risk factors, including age, obesity, blood pressure, and lipid levels (p < .001 for all). The prevalence of self-reported vascular-disease history was low but significantly associated with increasing snoring frequency. Logistic regression showed that snoring frequency was an independent predictor of vascular-disease history (odds ratios [95% confidence intervals] 1.68 [1.32-2.13] for daily snorers compared with the never-snorer reference group), of the metabolic syndrome (2.16 [1.88-2.49]) and each of its components (hypertension [1.37 (1.20-1.56)], and of dyslipidemia [1.22 (1.07-1.40)], central obesity [2.39 (2.08-2.76)], and diabetes [1.30 (1.09-1.56)]) after adjustment for potential confounders. CONCLUSION: Increasing snoring frequency was associated with an increasing prevalence of risk factors and self-reported vascular disease. Snoring may a useful marker for increased risk of vascular disease.

Aged↗

Treatments for snoring: a comparison of somnoplasty and an oral appliance.

OBJECTIVES: Objectives of the study are 1) to test the effectiveness of somnoplasty (radiofrequency volumetric tissue reduction of the soft palate) for the control of loud, socially disruptive, snoring; 2) to test the long-term efficacy of this treatment by spouse report; and 3) to compare the effectiveness of somnoplasty with another treatment. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty patients with complaints of loud snoring and a respiratory disturbance index no greater than 15 respiratory events per hour with sleep-related episodes of oxygen desaturation no lower than 80% were offered an experimental treatment. Ten were treated with somnoplasty, and a comparison group of 10 matched patients used an oral appliance. All were restudied in the laboratory wearing a device programmed to count minutes of sleep during which snoring was loud, soft, or absent. METHODS: For the 10 somnoplasty patients, a spouse rating of snoring determined whether the patient received one or more treatments. Five patients had a single treatment to three sites, and five others had two such treatments. Ten patients wore an oral appliance of the tongue-retaining type (Snore X, Fremont, CA). RESULTS: Seven of the 10 somnoplasty patients met the improvement criteria set for reduced loud snoring (a spouse rating of 3 or less on a 10-point scale, and 10% or less of sleep time in loud snoring in the laboratory). The comparison group also had a significant improvement in the percentage of sleep time in loud snoring while wearing the Snore X appliance. CONCLUSION: Since there was no significant difference between the two groups in percentage of sleep time spent in loud snoring while treated, the choice of method to control snoring must be based on factors other than efficacy.

Humans↗

Snoring in the first year of life.

AIM: To describe the prevalence of snoring in infancy and the factors associated with snoring. METHODS: The investigation comprised a cross-sectional study of 1800 infants. Snoring was ascertained by interviewer-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: The prevalence of snoring was 15.8% in the first 4 wk of life and 26.1% in the past 2 wk. Snoring in the past 2 wk was associated with increasing age of the infant, male gender, maternal smoking, sleep position, number of respiratory infections and snoring in the first 4 wk of life after adjustment for potential confounders. No associations were found with snoring in the first 4 wk of life. CONCLUSION: Snoring is common in infancy. The identified risk factors for snoring are probably causally related to snoring. Further studies are needed to establish whether snoring in infancy is associated with current or subsequent morbidity.

Age Factors↗

Snoring in primary school children and domestic environment: a Perth school based study.

BACKGROUND: The home is the predominant environment for exposure to many environmental irritants such as air pollutants and allergens. Exposure to common indoor irritants including volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde and nitrogen dioxide, may increase the risk of snoring for children. The aim of this study was to investigate domestic environmental factors associated with snoring in children. METHODS: A school-based respiratory survey was administered during March and April of 2002. Nine hundred and ninety six children from four primary schools within the Perth metropolitan area were recruited for the study. A sub-group of 88 children aged 4-6 years were further selected from this sample for domestic air pollutant assessment. RESULTS: The prevalences of infrequent snoring and habitual snoring in primary school children were 24.9% and 15.2% respectively. Passive smoking was found to be a significant risk factor for habitual snoring (odds ratio (OR) = 1.77; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.20-2.61), while having pets at home appeared to be protective against habitual snoring (OR = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.37-0.92). Domestic pollutant assessments showed that the prevalence of snoring was significantly associated with exposure to nitrogen dioxide during winter. Relative to the low exposure category (<30 microg/m3), the adjusted ORs of snoring by children with medium (30 - 60 microg/m3) and high exposures (> 60 microg/m3) to NO2 were 2.5 (95% CI: 0.7-8.7) and 4.5 (95% CI: 1.4-14.3) respectively. The corresponding linear dose-response trend was also significant (P = 0.011). CONCLUSION: Snoring is common in primary school children. Domestic environments may play a significant role in the increased prevalence of snoring. Exposure to nitrogen dioxide in domestic environment is associated with snoring in children.

Air Pollutants↗

Snoring is not relieved by nasal surgery despite improvement in nasal resistance.

OBJECTIVES: In the present study, we evaluated the effect of nasal surgery on snoring time, snoring intensity, and sleep-disordered breathing. The role of abnormal cephalometry in treatment outcome was assessed. DESIGN: A cross-sectional prospective study. SETTING: University teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Forty consecutive snoring men who were referred to ENT Hospital because of a snoring problem or suspicion of sleep apnea. INTERVENTIONS: The patients underwent anterior rhinomanometry and polysomnography (PSG) with recording of snoring before and after operative treatment of nasal obstruction. Cephalometric radiographs were obtained before surgery. RESULTS: Nasal resistance decreased significantly in the overall patient group. Snoring time, snoring intensity, nocturnal breathing, and sleep architecture did not change after nasal surgery. Cephalometry did not predict operative outcome in these patients. Snoring intensity was found to be significantly higher during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep than during rapid eye movement sleep. CONCLUSIONS: Operative treatment of mainly structural nasal obstruction did not seem to decrease snoring intensity, snoring time, or sleep-disordered breathing in an objective assessment by PSG performed after surgery. The effect of treating inflammatory nasal changes during nocturnal breathing, as well as the role of cephalometry in the prediction of treatment outcome will need further evaluation. Higher snoring intensity related to NREM sleep may add to the sleep disturbance of a bed partner in the evening.

Adult↗

Risk factors associated with snoring in women with special emphasis on body mass index: a population-based study.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Habitual snoring may be regarded as an indicator of sleep-disordered breathing, and the health consequences of sleep-disordered breathing are well-known. The aim of this study was to analyze the risk factors associated with habitual snoring in a large sample of women, with special emphasis on the determinants of snoring in women with different body mass index (BMI) levels. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross-sectional, epidemiologic, population-based study was performed by using a postal questionnaire that was sent to a randomly selected sample of 6,817 women >/= 20 years of age in Uppsala, Sweden. RESULTS: The total prevalence of self-reported habitual snoring was 7.6%. There was a clear age dependence, with the highest prevalence of habitual snoring (14%) occurring between the ages of 50 and 59 years. Self-reported habitual snoring was related to BMI, neck circumference, and smoking >/= 10 cigarettes a day, after adjusting for possible confounders. When analyzing the influence of different risk factors in separate BMI groups, the results varied among the groups. The influence of alcohol dependence on snoring frequency was only significant in women with a BMI of < 20 kg/m(2), while physical inactivity was only associated with habitual snoring in women with a BMI of >/= 30 kg/m(2). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of self-reported habitual snoring in women was strongly dependent on age and BMI. The importance of other risk factors differed depending on BMI, with alcohol dependence being associated with self-reported snoring in lean women, whereas physical inactivity was a risk factor for self-reported snoring in women with a high BMI.

Adult↗

Snoring, apnea and nasal resistance in men and women.

To examine if gender and airway resistance (nasal and pulmonary) influence the loudness and intensity of snoring, we prospectively studied 370 unselected patients referred to our sleep clinic because of heavy snoring and a possibility of sleep apnea. All patients had full nocturnal polysomnography, including measurements of snoring using a calibrated microphone-sound meter system, and determination of pulmonary (Raw) and nasal resistance (Rna). Snoring was quantified by reporting the number of snores per hour of sleep (snoring index--SI) and the maximum nocturnal sound intensity (dBmax). The patient population comprised 77 females and 293 males, ranging in age from 12 to 80 years. Based on the apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) we separated all patients into the apneic and non-apneic groups. There were 201 non-apneic snorers (AHI less than or equal to 10) and 160 apneic snorers (AHI greater than 10). There was no significant difference in snoring frequency, maximum nocturnal sound intensity, nasal and pulmonary resistance between men and women or between apneic and non-apneic snorers. Stepwise, forward, multiple linear regression analysis showed that body mass index and nasal resistance correlate significantly with the snoring index (R2 = 0.29, p less than 0.005), while age and body mass index correlate only weakly, but significantly, with the maximum nocturnal sound intensity. We conclude that (1) men snore similarly to women, and (2) obesity and nasal resistance are important determinants of the frequency of snoring. It follows that measures taken to reduce weight and decrease nasal resistance may be of benefit in reducing snoring.

Adolescent↗

[Snoring and sleep apnea syndrome].

Sleep apnea and obstructive snoring are sleep related breathing disorders (SRBD). Nevertheless, there is only a quantitative difference between snoring and the obstructive form of sleep apnea. Snoring occurs in at least 20% of the population; 50% of the 50 year old male snore. Although in most of the cases only harmless snoring is concerned. It becomes serious if it leads as the independent SRBD "obstructive snoring" to a continuous oxygen desaturation and a sleep disturbance or, if in cases of sleep apnea a postapnoic snoring is concerned. The snoring pattern "loud and irregular" is always a sign for a serious SRBD. Still, no exact statement can be given concerning the frequency of obstructive snoring. However, the prevalence of sleep apnea in men of the mean age group has been determined to 10%. By the so-called sleep apnea syndrome are summarized clinical pictures with symptoms and findings caused by sleep apnea, respectively with those which can be reduced by sufficiently early introduced therapy. Most frequent symptoms and findings are: hypertension, loud and irregular snoring, daytime sleepiness and nocturnal cardiac arrhythmias. Especially hypersomnia has always to be taken seriously. In relation with other symptoms and findings associated with apnea it is always an indication for the examination for sleep apnea and obstructive snoring.

Brain↗

[Epidemiological study of snoring--a questionnaire survey in factory workers].

There has been no epidemiological study of snoring in Japan, and we therefore performed a questionnaire survey (in about 7,000 adult men working at a steel-making factory at the time of the yearly health examination, and investigated the relationship between the severity of snoring and 17 items including age, obesity, family history of snoring, daytime hypersomnolence, hypertension, smoking, alcohol intake and traffic accidents. We classified all the subjects into three groups, no snoring, mild snoring, and severe snoring group. We defined severe snorers as persons who snored loudly in both inspiratory and expiratory phases and those who snored loudly with apnea. We found that aging, obesity, smoking and alcohol intake are risk factors for snoring. Compared with non-snorers, severe snorers were found to have a high incidence of family history of snoring, daytime hypersomnolence, and history of treatment of hypertension. No relationship was found between the severity of snoring and the occurrence of automobile accidents. The proportion of severe snorers over 40 years old with obesity, daytime hypersomnolence and morning headache was 0.25%, representing the group that may have obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. The probable incidence of sleep apnea syndrome in men may be considerably lower in Japan compared with that in either U.S.A. or Europe.

Adolescent↗

Chronic nasal congestion at night is a risk factor for snoring in a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Nasal congestion at night is thought to have a role in snoring and sleep apnea, but this hypothesis has not previously been tested in a population-based study. METHODS: Baseline and 5-year follow-up data on self-reported nocturnal nasal congestion and snoring frequency were collected from a population-based sample of 4916 men and women (age range, 30-60 years at baseline) enrolled in the ongoing Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study. In-laboratory polysomnography was performed on a subset (n = 1032) of the study population to determine the frequency of apnea and hypopnea episodes during sleep. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios for snoring with chronic nasal congestion at night. RESULTS: Nocturnal nasal congestion frequency was independently associated with snoring frequency in cross-sectional analyses. The odds ratios (adjusted for sex, age, body habitus, and smoking) for habitual snoring with severe (always or almost always) nasal congestion vs none was 3.0 (95% confidence interval, 2.2-4.0). This association was not explained by habitual snorers with frank sleep apnea (ie, >/=5 apnea and hypopnea episodes per hour of sleep). Prospective analyses showed that persons with chronic severe nasal congestion had a high risk of habitual snoring according to the data from the 5-year follow-up survey: the odds ratio for habitual snoring and reporting congestion always or almost always at both baseline and follow-up was 4.9 (95% confidence interval, 2.8-8.8). CONCLUSIONS: Nocturnal nasal congestion is a strong independent risk factor for habitual snoring, including snoring without frank sleep apnea. Intervention studies are needed to determine if snoring can be reduced with treatment of nasal congestion.

Adult↗

Natural history of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea in Thai school-age children.

In 1999, a survey was carried out in 1,008 Thai children aged 7 years, which found that 85 (8.5%) children were habitual snorers, and 7 (0.69%) children had mild obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Since the natural history of snoring and untreated mild OSAS is still largely unknown, this study was undertaken in 2002 in the same group of children to determine the natural history of snoring and OSAS. Questionnaires, consisting of questions about snoring, were sent to the parents of the 1,008 children. Polysomnography was performed in 1) the 7 children who had OSAS in the previous survey, and 2) other habitual snorers who had sleep-related symptoms in this survey. Seventy-five percent of the questionnaires were returned. The prevalence of habitual snoring had decreased slightly, from 8.5% in 1999 to 6.9% in 2002. Sixty-five percent of the children who had snored habitually in the previous survey no longer did so, whereas 4.5% of the children who previously never snored or snored sometimes had become habitual snorers. Of the 7 children who had OSAS previously, 5 had persistent snoring, and polysomnographic studies revealed more severe OSAS, with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of 1.5-9.2 per hour of sleep. Five children were newly diagnosed with OSAS in this survey, with an AHI of 1.5-7.5. The overall prevalence of OSAS in this survey was 10/755 (1.3%). In conclusion, 65% of children who snored habitually no longer did so when they got older, while 9% of children had developed OSAS. We suggest that regular follow-up in children with habitual snoring may be needed, and additional research is required to determine the indications for polysomnography and neurobehavioral and cardiovascular assessment. We also showed that children with mild OSAS could develop more severe disease if left untreated, suggesting that deferment of treatment may have negative consequences.

Age Factors↗