Habitual Loud Snoring. A Study of Prevalence and Associations in 850 Middle-Aged French Males

Abstract

Background: Most studies on habitual snoring have focused on its prevalence. However, from the clinical point of view, the intensity of snoring is of upmost importance, as it suggests the existence of sleep apnoeas. Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of loud snoring using a standard questionnaire and to evaluate the anthropometric and sleep characteristic differences between loud and light snorers in a sample of middle-aged males. Methods: The subjects were middle-aged active male employees. They completed a structured sleep questionnaire and had standard anthropometric measurements. Subjects reporting habitual snoring (≧3 nights/week) were further classified as loud or light snorers. Results: Of the 850 male subjects volunteering, 149 (17.5%) were habitual loud snorers. Loud snorers were older and had a greater waist-to-hip ratio as compared with light snorers. In univariate analysis, loud snoring was associated with gasping/snorting during sleep, breathing stops during sleep, waking up too early, excessive daytime sleepiness and falling asleep while watching TV. Logistic regression identified four independent associates of loud snoring: gasping during sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, falling asleep watching TV and age. Conclusions: Loud snoring is present in a significant proportion of middle-aged men and is associated with central obesity and age. It disturbs sleep and elicits significant daytime sleepiness. Its association with breathing pauses (univariate) and its independent association with gasping during sleep suggests that loud snoring could be considered a clinical correlate of obstructive sleep apnoeas.

Simple snoring: Not quite so simple after all?

“…Again this indicates, as noted above, that SS may be problematic in and of itself, if the snoring is loud enough. This is supported by a study of 850 French males, where loudness of partner reported snoring was related to daytime sleepiness (38). Furthermore, Azarbarzin and Moussavi (39) examined 42 OSA patients and 15 non-apnoeic snorers measured with a microphone over the suprasternal notch of the trachea.…”

Prevalence and associated risk factors of sleep-disordered breathing symptoms in young and middle-aged Pakistani employed adults

“…The prevalence of habitual (almost daily) snoring was 5% that also appears lower than the reported habitual snoring prevalence of 11-40% in Caucasians [7,13,[20][21][22] and 12-26% in Asians [9,10,[23][24][25]. However, the definition of habitual snoring has varied between studies, ranging from often [13] to more than three [20], four [10] or five [9] nights per week. Demographic characteristics of study population have also varied between these studies.…”

Conocimientos de los médicos sobre el síndrome de apneas-hipopneas del sueño. ¿Cómo estamos luego de cinco años?

“…El ronquido es el síntoma nocturno más frecuente y puede ser identificado con facilidad ( 31,32 ). Estudios epidemiológicos en población general informan una prevalencia de ronquido entre 18 y 55% en hombres y entre 15 y 36% en mujeres ( [47][48][49][50] ). En el Perú, Rey de Castro y col. ( 50 ) encontraron que 27% de varones y 18% de mujeres son roncadores.…”