Self‐reported snoring is associated with chronic kidney disease independent of metabolic syndrome in middle‐aged and elderly Chinese

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: To investigate the correlation between snoring and chronic kidney disease (CKD), and explore whether metabolic syndrome (MetS) plays an important role in this relationship among middle‐aged and elderly Chinese. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The participants included in the present study were categorized into three subgroups based on self‐reported snoring frequency (regularly [≥3 times per week], occasionally [between ‘regularly’ and ‘never’] or never [<1 time per month]). An estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) was considered as CKD. We diagnosed MetS based on the 2004 Chinese Diabetes Society criteria. We explored the relationship between snoring and CKD by using multiple logistic regressions. RESULTS: The frequency of MetS, MetS components and CKD was dramatically higher in regular snorers than in non‐snorers and occasional snorers. The odds ratios for MetS and all the MetS elements, except for hyperglycemia, increased progressively with the snoring frequency (P < 0.001). Upon additional adjustment for other MetS components, snoring was not significantly related with hypertension; however, the associations between snoring frequency and overweight/obesity and dyslipidemia became attenuated, but still remained statistically significant (P < 0.01). Interestingly, odds ratios for CKD also increasingly augmented with snoring frequency (P < 0.001). Upon further adjustment for individual MetS components or MetS, regular snoring also resulted in a significantly increased odds ratio for CKD (odds ratio 1.72; P = 0.034) relative to non‐snoring. CONCLUSIONS: Self‐reported snoring is closely associated with CKD independent of MetS among middle‐aged and elderly Chinese.