STOP-Bang Questionnaire: A Practical Approach to Screen for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Area of Science:

• Sleep Medicine
• Respiratory Medicine
• Diagnostic Tools

Background:

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is highly prevalent but often undiagnosed.
• A need exists for a simple, reliable screening tool for OSA.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the STOP-Bang questionnaire as a screening tool for OSA.
• To determine the effectiveness of STOP-Bang scores in stratifying OSA risk.

Main Methods:

• The STOP-Bang questionnaire, comprising eight yes/no items, was used.
• Patients were classified into low, intermediate, and high-risk categories based on their scores.
• Sensitivity and negative predictive values were calculated for detecting moderate to severe OSA.

Main Results:

• STOP-Bang scores demonstrated high sensitivity (93%) and negative predictive value (90%) for moderate to severe OSA (AHI > 15).
• A score of ≥ 3 indicates increased OSA risk, with probabilities rising from 18% to 60% for moderate-to-severe OSA as scores increase.
• Scores of 0-2 suggest low risk, while 5-8 indicate high risk, with intermediate scores requiring further assessment.

Conclusions:

• The STOP-Bang questionnaire is a valuable, easy-to-use tool for screening and risk stratification of OSA.
• Its high sensitivity and NPV support its utility in identifying individuals who may require further diagnostic evaluation for OSA.