Is there a difference between the STOP‐BANG and the Berlin Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome questionnaires for determining respiratory complications during the perioperative period?

Aims and Objectives This study aimed to compare the efficiency of the STOP‐BANG and Berlin Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome questionnaires for evaluating potential respiratory complications during the perioperative period. Background Questionnaires that are used to determine obstructive sleep apnoea risk are not widely used for surgical patients. Among the questionnaires that are commonly used for obstructive sleep apnoea screening, it remains unclear whether the STOP‐BANG or Berlin Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome questionnaire is more effective in terms of ease of use, usage period and diagnosis of surgical patients with obstructive sleep apnoea risk. Design This study was designed as a descriptive and prospective study. Methods The study included 126 patients over 18 years of age who were American Society of Anesthesiologists classification class I–II and underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. To determine the potential obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome risk, the STOP‐BANG and Berlin questionnaires were administered. Respiratory complications were then observed during the perioperative period. Results During intubation and extubation, we observed statistically significant differences in difficult intubation, difficult facemask ventilation and desaturation frequency between the high‐ and low‐risk groups for obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome, as determined by the STOP‐BANG questionnaire. During extubation, statistically significant differences in coughing, breath‐holding and desaturation frequency were observed between the high‐risk and low‐risk groups, according to the Berlin questionnaire. In the post‐anaesthesia care unit, both questionnaires found statistically significant differences between the low‐ and high‐risk groups. Conclusion Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome screening questionnaires administered during the preoperative period are useful for predicting perioperative respiratory complications. It may be most useful to administer the STOP‐BANG questionnaire as the initial evaluation. Relevance to clinical practice Questionnaires may be used to determine the risk of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome, which could impact the anaesthetisation of surgical patients. Questionnaires for determining the risk of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome should be used regularly for surgical patients, and these questionnaires should be used to improve clinical protocols for anaesthesia and postanaesthesia care.