Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and postoperative complications: clinical use of the STOP-BANG questionnaire.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether high risk scores on preoperative STOP-BANG (Snoring, Tiredness during daytime, Observed apnea, high blood Pressure, Body mass index, Age, Neck circumference, Gender) questionnaires during preoperative evaluation correlated with a higher rate of complications of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).


METHODS
Historical cohort study.


METHODS
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.


METHODS
Adult patients undergoing elective surgery at a tertiary care center who were administered the STOP-BANG questionnaire for 3 consecutive days in May 2008.


METHODS
Number and types of complications.


RESULTS
A total of 135 patients were included in the study, of whom 56 (41.5%) had high risk scores for OSAS. The mean (SD) age of patients was 57.9 (14.4) years; 60 (44.4%) were men. Patients at high risk of OSAS had a higher rate of postoperative complications compared with patients at low risk (19.6% vs 1.3%; P < .001). Age, American Society of Anesthesiologists class of 3 or higher, and obesity were associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications. On multivariate analysis, high risk of OSAS and American Society of Anesthesiologists class 3 or higher were associated with higher odds of complications.


CONCLUSIONS
The STOP-BANG questionnaire is useful for preoperative identification of patients at higher than normal risk for surgical complications, probably because it identifies patients with occult OSAS.
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. tajender.vasu@jeffersonhospital.org
Tajender S
TS
Vasu
Karl
K
Doghramji
Rodrigo
R
Cavallazzi
Ritu
R
Grewal
Amyn
A
Hirani
Benjamin
B
Leiby
Dimitri
D
Markov
David
D
Reiter
Walter K
WK
Kraft
Thomas
T
Witkowski
D000367:Age Factors; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011300:Preoperative Care; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires