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Gender difference in snoring and how it changes with age: systematic review and meta-regression

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to study the interactions among age, gender, and snoring across all age groups

Methods

All cross-sectional study reporting gender-specific prevalence of snoring in general population published from 1966 through July 2008 were included and were meta-analyzed. The sources of heterogeneity among primary studies were studied by meta-regression.

Results

From a total of 1,593 citations reviewed, 63 were included in the analysis of snoring. These 63 studies were comprised 104,337 and 110,474, respectively. A combined odds ratio of 1.89 with a 95% confidence interval of 1.75–2.03 for male versus female was found. The heterogeneity was significant with an estimated between-study variance, τ 2 being 0.065 and 95% confidence interval of 0.0397–0.0941. Multiple meta-regression showed that age were the significant effect modifier of the relationship between snoring and gender.

Conclusion

This study found a consistent male predominance in snoring among the general population, and the heterogeneity in the risk of snoring between two genders can be partly explained by age.

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Disclosure statement

This was not an industry supported study. The authors have indicated no financial conflicts of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatrics, Kwong Wah Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China

    Chung-hong Chan & Daniel K. Ng

  2. Continuing Rehabilitation Center, SAHK, North Point, Hong Kong, China

    Billy M. Wong

  3. School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Sha Tin, Hong kong, China

    Jin-ling Tang

Authors
  1. Chung-hong Chan
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  2. Billy M. Wong
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  3. Jin-ling Tang
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  4. Daniel K. Ng
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chung-hong Chan.

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Chan, Ch., Wong, B.M., Tang, Jl. et al. Gender difference in snoring and how it changes with age: systematic review and meta-regression. Sleep Breath 16, 977–986 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-011-0596-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-011-0596-8

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