title: Objective snoring time and carotid intima-media thickness in non-apneic female snorers.
abstract: Controversy persists about whether snoring can affect atherosclerotic changes in adjacent vessels, independently of obstructive sleep apnea and other cardiovascular risk factors. This study examined the independent association between snoring and carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) in non-apneic snorers and non-snorers. We studied 180 non-apneic snorers and non-snorers participating in a full-night home-based sleep study. Snoring sound was measured objectively by a microphone. Based on snoring time across the night, participants were classified as non-snorers (snoring time: 0%), mild snorers (1-25%) and moderate to heavy snorers (≥25%). We measured IMT on both common carotid arteries. The three groups were matched by age, body mass index, cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose levels, using weights from generalized boosted-propensity score models. Mean carotid IMT increased with increased snoring time across the night in women: non-snorers (0.707 mm), mild (0.718 mm) and moderate to heavy snorers (0.774 mm), but not in men. Snoring during at least one-fourth of a night's sleep is associated independently with subclinical changes in carotid IMT in women only.
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Jinyoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.|Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Allan I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Pack
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Barbara J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Riegel
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Julio A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Chirinos
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hanlon
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Genomic Study, College of Medicine, Korean University Ansan Hospital, Ansan, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Ku
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University, Ansan, Korea.
authors.forename: Chol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000473:pathology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography; D012307:Risk Factors; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012890:Sleep; D012913:Snoring / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: atherosclerosis; carotid atherosclerosis; sleep apnea; sleep-related breathing disorders