Examining Obstructive Sleep Apnea Risk and Changes in Oxygen Saturation in an Outpatient Endoscopy Center.

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Anesthesiology
• Pulmonology

Background:

• Rising obesity rates increase the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
• Undiagnosed or untreated OSA poses challenges for office-based gastroenterology procedures requiring sedation.
• Associated comorbidities of OSA can complicate patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine changes in pre- and post-procedural oxygen saturations in patients at moderate to high risk for OSA.
• To evaluate the impact of OSA risk screening on patient outcomes during office-based procedures.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 316 patients undergoing office-based gastroenterology procedures were screened using the STOP-BANG questionnaire.
• Patients were categorized based on their STOP-BANG score (SBS) to identify moderate to high OSA risk (SBS ≥ 3).
• Pre- and post-procedural oxygen saturations were recorded and compared between risk groups.

Main Results:

• 59.8% of screened patients were identified as having a moderate to high risk of OSA.
• Patients with SBS ≥ 3 exhibited significantly lower mean post-procedural oxygen saturations (94.23%) compared to those with SBS < 3 (95.76%).
• A statistically significant decrease in oxygen saturation was observed in moderate-to-high risk OSA patients post-anesthesia (p < .001).

Conclusions:

• Routine preprocedural screening for obstructive sleep apnea is essential for office-based gastroenterology patients.
• Identifying patients at moderate-to-high risk for OSA allows for targeted management to mitigate intra- and post-procedural complications.
• Implementing OSA screening can improve patient safety and outcomes in procedural sedation settings.