Prevalence of habitual snoring in a sample of French males. Role of "minor" nose-throat abnormalities.
BACKGROUND
No data on snoring prevalence obtained with a standard questionnaire exist for France. Major nose-throat abnormalities have been demonstrated in cases with obstructive sleep apnea; evidence of "minor" abnormalities in community studies is scarce.


OBJECTIVE
The first objective of our study was to estimate the prevalence of habitual snoring in a sample of middle-aged active males in France. The second objective was to test the hypothesis that "minor" nose-throat abnormalities could be associated with habitual snoring in a field survey.


METHODS
Three hundred thirty-four male employees of a local university volunteered for the study (93.6% of those contacted by mail); 300 returned a sleep questionnaire. The protocol also included anthropometry and a noninvasive nose-throat examination.


RESULTS
Complete data were obtained in 299 subjects aged 23-63 years. When "habitual snorers" (= 32%) were compared with never-snorers, significant differences were found for all anthropometric variables, except height. In univariate analysis, habitual snoring was associated with a large number of variables, including a large soft palate, a large uvula, and altered nose patency. A logistic regression model retained 8 factors independently associated with snoring: age, neck circumference, tobacco consumption, breathing pauses during sleep, not feeling rested during the day, need for coffee to stay awake, blocked or running nose at night and a large soft palate.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of habitual snoring in this sample of middle-aged French males was 32%. We confirmed the significant association of habitual snoring with age, weight excess, and tobacco smoking, and identified two further factors: blocked nose at night and a large soft palate.
Teculescu
D
D
INSERM Unité 420, BP 184, F-54505 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France. Dan.Teculescu@nancy.inserm.fr
Hannhart
B
B
Cornette
A
A
Montaut-Verient
B
B
Virion
J M
JM
Michaely
J P
JP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001835:Body Weight; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000150:complications; D010160:Palate, Soft / Q000473:pathology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012913:Snoring / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology