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Frequency of snoring, rather than apnea-hypopnea index, predicts both cognitive and behavioral problems in young

Dale L Smith1, David Gozal2, Scott J Hunter3

  • 1Department of Public Health Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Psychology, Olivet Nazarene University, Bourbonnais, IL, USA.

Sleep Medicine
|May 20, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Primary snoring in children is linked to behavioral and cognitive issues, independent of obstructive sleep apnea severity. Snoring itself, not just apnea, predicts poorer outcomes in children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Sleep Medicine
  • Child Psychology
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Background:

  • Primary snoring (PS) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) impact sleep quality in children.
  • These conditions are associated with behavioral and cognitive deficits.
  • The distinct roles of snoring versus apnea severity in these deficits are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the independent relationships between snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity with behavioral and cognitive outcomes in children.
  • To differentiate the impact of primary snoring from the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) on child development.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of data from 631 children (aged 4-10 years) with snoring.
  • Use of multivariate mixed models to assess snoring and AHI in relation to cognitive and behavioral variables.
  • Adjustment for demographic factors and subsequent univariate and sensitivity analyses.

Main Results:

  • Snoring status significantly predicted general behavioral and cognitive domains, even after adjusting for AHI and covariates.
  • Increased snoring frequency correlated with poorer outcomes, irrespective of AHI severity.
  • AHI was not a significant predictor of overall cognitive functioning, and its relationship with behavioral measures was inconsistent.

Conclusions:

  • Childhood snoring severity is associated with declines in general behavioral and cognitive function.
  • Snoring should be considered a potential predictor of adverse outcomes, not merely a marker for lower SDB severity.
  • Further research is needed to elucidate the specific mechanisms linking snoring to neurodevelopmental outcomes.
Abstract

Keywords:
ApneaBehaviorChildrenCognitionSleep disordered breathingSnoring

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