Symptoms related to obstructive sleep apnoea are common in subjects with asthma, chronic bronchitis and rhinitis in a general population.

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of self-reported snoring, apnoeas and daytime sleepiness in relation to chronic bronchitis, recurrent wheeze, physician-diagnosed asthma and rhinitis. This was a questionnaire study in a representative sample of a general population. The study was a part of the Obstructive Lung Disease in Northern Sweden Studies (OLIN). A total of 5424 subjects aged 20-69 years, born on the 15th day of each month, participated in the study. Eligible answers were obtained from 4648 subjects (85.7%). Having snoring as a problem was reported by 10.7%. Among subjects with chronic bronchitis it was reported by 25.9%, with recurrent wheeze by 21.3%, with physician-diagnosed asthma by 17.9%, and with rhinitis by 14.7%. Relatives' concerns of witnessed apnoea was reported by 6.8% of all subjects, while among subjects with chronic bronchitis it was reported by 18.1%, with recurrent wheeze by 17.1%, with physician-diagnosed asthma by 14.3%, and with rhinitis by 9.1%. After correction for age, gender and smoking habits, chronic bronchitis, rhinitis, asthma, and current smoking were significantly related, with snoring as a problem and with relatives' concern of witnessed apnoeas. Symptoms of daytime sleepiness were significantly related with concern of witnessed apnoeas, chronic bronchitis, snoring as a problem, recurrent wheeze and age 50-59 years. In conclusion, respiratory symptoms and conditions affecting mainly the lower respiratory tract, such as chronic bronchitis and asthma, were related with symptoms common in obstructive sleep apnoea.

[1]  B. Lundbäck,et al.  Increasing prevalence of asthma but not of chronic bronchitis in Finland? Report from the FinEsS-Helsinki Study. , 1999, Respiratory medicine.

[2]  B. Lundbäck,et al.  Symptoms related to snoring and sleep apnoea in subjects with chronic bronchitis: report from the Obstructive Lung Disease in Northern Sweden Study. , 1997, Respiratory medicine.

[3]  T. Gislason,et al.  Increased mortality among sleepy snorers: a prospective population based study , 1998, Thorax.

[4]  J. Stradling,et al.  Self reported snoring and daytime sleepiness in men aged 35-65 years. , 1991, Thorax.

[5]  T. Young,et al.  Nasal obstruction as a risk factor for sleep-disordered breathing. The University of Wisconsin Sleep and Respiratory Research Group. , 1997, The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology.

[6]  S. Quan,et al.  Incidence and remission of habitual snoring over a 5- to 6-year period. , 1995, Chest.

[7]  T. Young,et al.  Snoring and excessive daytime somnolence among Polish middle-aged adults. , 1999, The European respiratory journal.

[8]  D. Greenblatt,et al.  The International Classification of Sleep Disorders , 1992 .

[9]  A. Chaouat,et al.  Pulmonary hypertension in the obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome: prevalence, causes and therapeutic consequences. , 1996, The European respiratory journal.

[10]  M. Lebowitz,et al.  Tucson epidemiologic study of obstructive lung diseases. I: Methodology and prevalence of disease. , 1975, American journal of epidemiology.

[11]  R. Daroff,et al.  The International Classification of Sleep Disorders , 1991, Neurology.

[12]  B. Lundbäck,et al.  Epidemiology of rhinitis and asthma. , 1998, Clinical and experimental allergy : journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

[13]  L. Nyström,et al.  Obstructive lung disease in northern Sweden: respiratory symptoms assessed in a postal survey. , 1991, The European respiratory journal.

[14]  N. Douglas,et al.  Breathing during sleep in patients with obstructive lung disease. , 1990, The American review of respiratory disease.

[15]  K. Franklin,et al.  Sleep apnoea and nocturnal angina , 1995, The Lancet.

[16]  T. Gislason,et al.  Increased prevalence of sleep disturbances and daytime sleepiness in subjects with bronchial asthma: a population study of young adults in three European countries. , 1996, The European respiratory journal.

[17]  C. Shapiro,et al.  Snoring, asthma and sleep disturbance in Britain: a community-based survey. , 1993, The European respiratory journal.

[18]  A. Cohen,et al.  Diagnostic and treatment implications of nasal obstruction in snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. , 1998, Annals of allergy, asthma & immunology : official publication of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.

[19]  S. Redline,et al.  Hypopnea, a floating metric: implications for prevalence, morbidity estimates, and case finding. , 1997, Sleep.

[20]  R G Priest,et al.  Snoring and breathing pauses during sleep: telephone interview survey of a United Kingdom population sample , 1997, BMJ.

[21]  D. Wetter,et al.  Smoking as a risk factor for sleep-disordered breathing. , 1994, Archives of internal medicine.

[22]  J. Vestbo,et al.  Association of chronic mucus hypersecretion with FEV1 decline and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease morbidity. Copenhagen City Heart Study Group. , 1996, American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine.

[23]  T. Sandström,et al.  Are symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome related to bronchitic symptoms or lung function impairment? Report from the Obstructive Lung Disease in Northern Sweden Study. , 1998, Respiratory medicine.

[24]  A. Chaouat,et al.  Association of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and sleep apnea syndrome. , 1995, American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine.

[25]  T. Young,et al.  The occurrence of sleep-disordered breathing among middle-aged adults. , 1993, The New England journal of medicine.

[26]  T. Sandström,et al.  Incidence of asthma in adults – report from the Obstructive Lung Disease in Northern Sweden Study , 1997, Allergy.

[27]  S. Quan,et al.  The relation of sleep complaints to respiratory symptoms in a general population. , 1994, Chest.

[28]  S. Quan,et al.  Risk factors in a general population for snoring. Importance of cigarette smoking and obesity. , 1988, Chest.

[29]  W. McNicholas,et al.  Sleep apnoea and driving risk. European Respiratory Society Task Force on "Public Health and Medicolegal Implications of Sleep Apnoea". , 1999, The European respiratory journal.

[30]  C. Sullivan,et al.  Pulmonary hypertension in obstructive sleep apnoea. , 1995, The European respiratory journal.

[31]  A. Woolcock,et al.  Nocturnal asthma: role of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. , 1988, The American review of respiratory disease.

[32]  Bradley Td.  Right and left ventricular functional impairment and sleep apnea. , 1992, Clinics in chest medicine.

[33]  B. Lundbäck.  Asthma, chronic bronchitis and respiratory symptoms : prevalence and important determinants , 1993 .

[34]  N J Douglas,et al.  The sleep hypopnea syndrome. , 1988, The American review of respiratory disease.