Association between Snoring and Leukocyte Telomere Length.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Sleep Medicine
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Telomere length is a biomarker of biological aging.
• Limited data exists on the association between snoring and telomere length.
• No polysomnography (PSG) studies have investigated this link in the general population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the association between snoring and leukocyte telomere length (LTL).
• To utilize both PSG and questionnaire data for comprehensive snoring assessment.
• To explore this relationship in a general population cohort.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study within the Korean Genome Epidemiology Study (2010-2013).
• Included 887 Korean men and women aged 50-79 years with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) < 15.
• Assessed snoring using PSG and questionnaires, with LTL measured via blood assays.

Main Results:

• Percentage of time spent snoring during sleep was inversely associated with LTL, independent of AHI.
• Individuals in higher snoring tertiles exhibited significantly shorter LTL.
• Both primary snorers and those with mild sleep apnea (5 ≤ AHI < 15) had shorter LTL compared to nonsnorers.

Conclusions:

• Snoring may contribute to telomere attrition, a marker of aging.
• This effect appears to be independent of sleep apnea severity.
• Findings highlight snoring as a potential factor influencing biological aging.