Snoring and atopic disease: a strong association

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Sleep Medicine
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Prevalence and risk factors for snoring in Asian children remain understudied.
• Understanding these factors is crucial for early identification and intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of snoring and habitual snoring in Singaporean children aged 4-7 years.
• To identify factors associated with snoring and habitual snoring in this population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study utilizing a self-response questionnaire administered to parents.
• Data collected from 11,114 children in randomly selected preschools and primary schools.
• Multivariate logistic regression analysis employed to identify significant associations.

Main Results:

• Snoring prevalence was 28.1%, and habitual snoring was 6.0%.
• Factors associated with snoring included male gender, race, atopy, maternal smoking, and breastfeeding.
• Habitual snoring was linked to obesity, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, maternal smoking, and breastfeeding, with atopy being the strongest risk factor.

Conclusions:

• Snoring and habitual snoring are prevalent in Asian children.
• Atopy is a significant and cumulative risk factor for habitual snoring.
• Children with significant atopy warrant increased attention during screening for sleep-disordered breathing.