Prevalence of habitual snoring and sleep-disordered breathing in preschool-aged children in an Italian community.
OBJECTIVE
To measure the prevalence of habitual snoring and sleep-disordered breathing in preschool-aged children.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey with parental report and overnight ambulatory monitoring of children 3 to 6 years of age in 8 kindergartens (n = 604). Parents reported the child's information through an interviewer-based questionnaire or by a brief telephone interview. Snoring, oxygen saturation, body position, and heart rate were recorded for 1 night at home.


RESULTS
Data were obtained on 98.5% of 604 children (447 questionnaires, 74%; 148 telephone interviews, 24.5%); groups were similar for sex and age. Two hundred sixty-five children had ambulatory monitoring at home. Habitual snoring (always and often) was reported in 34.5% and breathing cessation in 18.6%. Habitual snoring was associated with parental report of daytime symptoms (P =.001) and daytime somnolence (P =.032). Pathologic snoring was present in 12% of children (95% CI, 7.9-16.1). On multivariate analysis, parental report of habitual snoring was the strongest determinant of pathologic snoring (OR, 12.23; 95% CI, 3.56-41.94). Oxygen desaturation index > or =5 per hour was found in 13% of children (95% CI, 8.7-17.3).


CONCLUSIONS
Parental report of habitual snoring is very common. Children with habitual snoring are more likely to have objectively measured snoring and daytime morbidity.
Castronovo
Vincenza
V
Sleep Disorders Center, IRCCS H San Raffaele, Milano, Italy. castronovo.vincenza@hsr.it
Zucconi
Marco
M
Nosetti
Luana
L
Marazzini
Carlo
C
Hensley
Michael
M
Veglia
Fabrizio
F
Nespoli
Luigi
L
Ferini-Strambi
Luigi
L
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006184:Habits; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010092:Oximetry; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012913:Snoring / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*