Effect of aging in snoring prevalence

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the effect of aging in snoring prevalence. Cross-sectional epidemiological study.

Methods: Three different districts of Denizli, Turkey were randomly chosen to constitute the study group. Demographic information (age, gender) and whether snoring was present (classified as "never","sometimes", "often" [4-5 days a week], and "everyday"), and information on any treatment they received for snoring was asked through a questionnaire. The questionnaire was applied to equal numbers of volunteers from each district. All respondents were interviewed at their homes.

Results: A total of 2959 questionnaires were evaluated. The prevalence of habitual snoring was found to be as follows: 3.6% in children between ages 0-6 (males: 5.3%, females: 2.0%), 3.9% between ages 7-12 (males: 3.8%, females: 4.1%), 2.9% between ages 13-18, (males: 5.0%, females: 0.6%), 10% in adults (males: 27.1, females: 7.4). Even though snoring is encountered more often in males than females regardless of age, no statistical significance was found between sex in age groups 0-6 and 7-12. But snoring prevalence is statistically more frequent in males then females in age groups13-18 and 18 above (for adolescent group p=0.02, p<0.05, for adults p=0.0001, p<0.05). Snoring statistically increases above 30 years in males and above 40 years in females.

Conclusion: Human being begins snoring at the first years of life and snoring prevalence increases along the life. Snoring prevalence significantly increases in third decade in men and in forth decade in women. Beginning from the adolescence snoring is significantly more frequent in men than women.