An Observational Study on the Assessment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Patients Undergoing Surgeries Using the Stopbang Questionnaire
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Abstract
Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder characterized by repetitive episodes of partial or complete obstruction of the upper airway during sleep, leading to apnea or hypopnea. The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea is higher among obese population. This study shows the risk prediction of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in patients who are undergoing surgeries under general and spinal anesthesia by utilising the STOP BANG questionnaire.
Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the risk of obstructive sleep apnea in patients undergoing elective surgeries using the STOP BANG questionnaire. The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of the STOP-BANG questionnaire.
Methods: This observational study was performed among 60 patients who were about to undergo elective surgeries. The STOP BANG questionnaire was given to patients with BMI >/=30 kg/m2 and was asked to answer the questions.Then the result were evaluated by the number of “yes” or “no” answers. After gathering the information, patients are ranked based on total score. We categorised the patients as having high, intermediate or low risk based on the total score from the STOPBANG questionnaire.
Results: For each questionnaire, chi-square test was done and the “p values” of snoring, tiredness, observed apnea, high blood pressure, BMI >35, age>50, neck circumference >17 inches in male and >16 inches in female and male gender were determined. A STOPBANG questionnaire score of 6-8 indicates high risk, a score of 4-5 indicates intermediate risk, and a score of 0-3 indicates low risk. Out of the overall findings, 27 patients were of male gender and 33 patients were of female gender. 20 out of 27 male patients had high risk (score >5) for OSA and 17 out 33 female patients had high risk (score >5) for OSA. The calculated P value was 0.09, which was significant. Out of this 37 patients in high risk category, 17 patients were female, thus giving us a significant “p value” of 0.09 under gender category.
Conclusions: Male gender is one among the various predictors of OSA in the STOP BANG questionnaire, indicating it as one of the risk factor for OSA. But, from our study, we found that females have higher STOP BANG score, depicting the insignificance of male gender as one of the risk predictor. Inspite of the above finding, still the STOPBANG questionnaire can be used as a tool to predict OSA.