Predictors for snoring in children with rhinitis at age 5

Snoring is often found in allergic diseases and may be an early manifestation of more serious sleep-disordered breathing. We aimed to investigate whether the risk factors for snoring among pre-school children with rhinitis are similar to those for allergic diseases in a birth cohort. The study cohort was drawn from participants in the Childhood Asthma Prevention Study (CAPS). This is a randomized controlled trial of dietary intervention and house dust mite avoidance during the first 5 years of life, aimed at reducing the risk of acquiring asthma and other allergic conditions in children at high-risk for allergic diseases. Parents of children with symptoms of rhinitis at age 5 years (n = 219 out of 516 cohort members) were asked if their child snored: 127 (60%) reported some snoring and 56 (26%) snored more than three times per week. Multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that children who were first-born (adjusted odds ratio, 2.50, 95% CI 1.20-5.21), were exposed to maternal tobacco smoke during the first year of life (2.40, 1.1-5.25), or who had asthma (2.51, 1.14-5.55) and/or eczema (2.29, 1.02-5.13) at age 5 years were more likely to snore. Birth-weight, body mass index at age 4.5, spirometry, and breastfeeding were not related to snoring. Risk factors for snoring are similar to risk factors for allergic disorders. Snoring may be part of the allergic spectrum of diseases. Our data may contribute to clinician's ability to effectively screen for snoring in preschool children.