title: Screening of snoring with an MP3 recorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Snoring patients seeking medical assistance represent a wide range of clinical and sleep study findings from nonsleepy nonapneic snoring to severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. The prevalence of snoring is high and it significantly impacts quality of life. Its objective diagnosis usually requires a sleep study. We developed a system to analyze snoring sounds with a Moving Picture Experts Group Layer-3 Audio (MP3) recorder device and present its value in the screening of snoring.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recorded snoring sounds during in-lab polysomnography (PSG) in 200 consecutive patients referred for a suspicion of obstructive sleep apnea. Snoring was recorded during the PSG with two microphones: one attached to the throat and the other to the ceiling; an MP3 device was attached to the patient's collar. Snoring was confirmed when the MP3 acoustic signal exceeded twice the median value of the acoustic signal for the entire recording. Results of the MP3 snoring recording were compared to the snoring recordings from the PSG.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MP3 recording proved technically successful for 87% of the patients. The Pearson correlation between PSG snoring and MP3 snoring was highly significant at 0.77 (p < 0.001). The MP3 recording device underestimated the snoring time by a mean ± SD of 32 ± 55 min.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The recording of snoring with an MP3 device provides reliable information about the patient's snoring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. hanna-riikka.kreivi@hus.fi
authors.forename: Hanna-Riikka
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Kreivi
authors.forename: Tapani
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Salmi
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maasilta
authors.forename: Adel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bachour
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006970:Disorders of Excessive Somnolence / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055539:MP3-Player; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography / Q000295:instrumentation; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011788:Quality of Life; D012913:Snoring / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology