Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.15644/asc59/2/5
Snoring Symptoms and Obstructive Sleep Apnea Risk Factors Identified by Doctors of Dental Medicine
Marieta Bujak
orcid.org/0000-0001-9926-3203
; University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia
*
Nikolina Bošnjak
; Health Center of Zagreb County, Zagreb, Croatia
Renata Pecotić
; Department of Neuroscience, University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Objective: To examine the association between snoring, a primary symptom of obstructive sleeps apnea (OSA) and patients’ age, sex, and anthropometric characteristics. The goal is to support dental medicine doctors in identifying individuals at increased risk of OSA. Materials and methods: This retrospective cross-sectional clinical study included 795 participants. Data were collected on age, sex, and anthropometric measurements. Participants also completed the STOP questionnaire and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Overnight polysomnography was performed at the Split Sleep Medicine Center of the University Hospital of Splitand the University of Split School of Medicine between 2018 and 2023. Results: Participants who reported snoring were significantly heavier (96.5 ± 20.5 kg vs. 84.6 ± 19.3 kg) and had a higher BMI (31.3 ± 10.9 kg/m² vs. 27.2 ± 5.1 kg/m²) than those without snoring. They also had larger neck (41.5 ± 6.0 cm vs. 38.8 ± 4.5 cm), waist (107.8 ± 15.4 cm vs. 96.9 ± 15.4 cm), and hip (110.7 ± 12.3 cm vs. 106.0 ± 11.0 cm) circumferences (P < 0.001 for all). These participants also reported greater day- time sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale: 7.8 ± 4.9 vs. 5.9 ± 4.2; P < 0.001) and had significantly higher AHI values (32.8 ± 26.1 vs. 15.1 ± 17.5; P < 0.001), indicating more severe OSA. Conclusion: Snoring is significantly associated with higher body mass, increased BMI, larger body circumferences, greater daytime sleepiness, and more severe OSA. It may serve as a useful clinical marker for dentists when identifying patients at elevated risk for OSA. Among the examined variables, BMI, AHI, and age were significant predictors of snoring, while sex did not show a
statistically significant influence.
Keywords
Obstructive Sleep Apnea; Risk Factors; Polysomnography; Snoring; AHI; Anthropometric characteristics; Dentist; High risk patients; OSA; Stop questionnaire; Epworth Sleepiness Scale
Hrčak ID:
332201
URI
Publication date:
19.6.2025.
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