Snoring risks

Find out why snorers are more likely to develop chronic bronchitis

According to research released today, those who snore six or seven times per week are 68% more likely to develop the condition than those who never snore, it found.

Even snoring just a few times a week can increase the risk, with people snoring five times or less having a 25% higher chance of developing bronchitis.

The study was published in the journal, Archives of Internal Medicine. Chronic bronchitis is when the lower airways become inflamed and is accompanied by a persistent cough and the production of mucus or phlegm.

Dr Inkyung Baik, of the Korea University Ansan Hospital, and colleagues studied 4,270 people (52% men and 48% women) aged between 40 and 69.

Lifestyle factors

At the beginning of the study, details were taken on their health, family history of disease, lifestyle factors such as whether they smoked and how often they snored.

During four years of follow-up, people were noted as developing chronic bronchitis if they reported having a cough and phlegm (produced during cough) on most days for at least three months per year for at least two years.

Anyone diagnosed with asthma was excluded from this analysis.

A total of 314 people developed chronic bronchitis during the follow-up.

After adjusting for age, smoking and other factors likely to affect the results, the experts found that people who snored regularly were more likely to develop bronchitis than those who did not.

Overweight snorers

The link was strongest in people who had never smoked, home workers or those who were overweight.

The authors said: "The mechanisms underlying the association between snoring and chronic bronchitis are largely unknown. It has been suggested that structural or functional changes in the airway due to inflammation may cause snoring and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (where not enough oxygen gets to the lungs causing loud snorting or choking).

"Conversely, repeated snoring vibrations may act as mechanical stresses, leading to increased inflammatory response in the upper airway. Further investigations are needed to confirm the association between snoring and chronic bronchitis and to explore the mechanisms underlying the association.''