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.