Work

A Polysomnography Study of Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Relation to Chronic Bronchitis

Year: 2010

Type: article

Abstract: Background and ObjectiveaaReportedly, snoring is associated with chronic bronchitis.This association warrants further studies including polysomnographic evaluations because of few epidemiologic studies on the association.Via a polysomnography study, we evaluated the associations of snoring, obstructive sleep apnea, and systemic inflammation with chronic bronchitis among 442 participants from a population-based cohort.MethodsaaAt baseline, we assessed participants' serum levels of C-reactive protein, a biomarker of systemic inflammation.Over a 5-year period, we conducted overnight polysomnography and identified any new cases of chronic bronchitis.ResultsaaAfter taking into account age, smoking, and other potential risk factors, the multivariate odds ratio (95% CI) for chronic bronchitis was 2.9 (95% CI, 1.3-6.4)for snorers with cumulative duration of snoring episodes ≥ 1 hour as compared with those snoring < 1 hour.This association did not change after further adjustment for the presence of apnea.Obstructive sleep apnea had no association with chronic bronchitis.A higher level of serum C-reactive protein was associated with chronic bronchitis (p value for trend < 0.05).In a joint analysis of snoring and C-reactive protein, longer cumulative duration of snoring episodes accompanied by systemic inflammation was associated with a 10-fold (95% CI, 2.9 to 37.4) increase in the multivariate odds of chronic bronchitis.ConclusionsaaThis polysomnography study provides additional data supporting the hypothesis that snoring is associated with chronic bronchitis implying that snoring-related local and systemic inflammation may play roles in the development of chronic bronchitis.

Source: Sleep Medicine Research

DOI: 10.17241/smr.2010.1.1.8