Reported snoring - does validity differ by age?

Snoring is a major sign of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome. Despite the f requent number of studies based on subjective reports of snoring, self-repo rted snoring has hardly been validated at all. In some previous epidemiolog ical studies, a significant association between snoring and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality was found only below the age of 50-60 y. This study was performed to investigate whether this is due to a decrease in the vali dity of reported snoring with increasing age. In a population-based study, 2668 men aged 40-79 y answered a questionnaire including questions on snori ng. Those who reported loud and disturbing snoring often or very often were regarded as habitual snorers. Without taking account of reported snoring, an age-stratified sample of these men was selected and their snoring was me asured using a microphone for 1 night. Significant snoring was defined as r ecorded snoring sounds for greater than or equal to 10% of the night. The p articipants were divided into younger (age 40-59, mean +/- SD: 51.8 +/- 4.6 y, n = 132) and older (age 60-79, 67.7 +/- 5.4 y, n = 99) age groups. When analysing the validity of reported snoring, no significant differences wer e found between the younger and older age groups in terms of specificity [y ounger: 82% (95% CI 74-90%), older: 88% (81-95%)] or sensitivity [younger: 40% (26-54%), older: 35% (17-53 %)]. These data indicate that, in men aged 40-79 y, the validity of reported snoring is similar in different age group s. The lack of an association between reported snoring and cardiovascular d isease at higher ages can, therefore, not be explained by a decrease in the validity of reported snoring.