목적: Obstructive sleep apnea(OSA) is characterized by repeated airway collapse of the upper airway. The sound of snoring in patients with OSA is produced when air flows through the narrowed upper airway which causing increased turbulence, palatal flutter, and loud respiratory sounds. It is commonly thought that louder snoring is associated with more severe OSA. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between snoring sound intensity and OSA severity 방법:The subjects included in this study comprised 656 adults(mean age 47.2 10.0 years. Male Female = 6.9 1). All subjects had undergone portable polysomnography(PSG, Watch PAT) between March 2013 and August 2014. The polysomnographic data was retrospectively analyzed with apnea-hypopnea index(AHI), respiratory-disturbance index(RDI), minimal oxygen saturation, snoring duration, snoring sound and body position. As parameters of snoring, duration of snoring time(min), peak snoring sound(dB), mean and maximum snoring sound(dB) were evaluated. Four groups were defined according to apnea hypopnea index(AHI) AHI < 5(normal), 5 AHI < 15(mild), 15 AHI < 30(moderate), AHI > 30(severe). 결과:According to AHI, 110 subjects(17%) had no OSA, 211(32%) had mild OSA, 175(27%) had moderate OSA, 160(24%) had severe OSA. Mean decibel of snoring sound increased progressively as OSA severity increased. Normal group had 42 dB, mild OSA had 43 dB, moderate OSA had 43 dB, and severe OSA had 44 dB. Furthermore there were positive correlation between OSA severity and maximum decibel of snoring sound and duration of snoring time(p<0.001) 결론:Our results showed that OSA severity was clinically correlated with the intensity of snoring. Our data also suggested that snoring may be a key symptoms of OSA and the recognition by the bed time partner of the patients snoring alone can be a strong indicator of PSG to evaluation of OSA.