The STOP-BANG questionnaire and the risk of perioperative respiratory complications in urgent surgery patients: A prospective, observational study

• DOI: 10.1016/j.accpm.2016.01.006
• Publication Date: 2016-06-27T19:09:50Z
• Authors: Nicolas Chudeau; Tommy Raveau; Laurence Carlier; Damien Leblanc; Guillaume Bouhours; Frédéric Gagnadoux; Emmanuel Rineau; Sigismond Lasocki
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Emergency Medical Services; [SDV.BA] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology; [SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio]; [SDV.BC]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Cellular Biology; Risk Assessment; Perioperative Care; 03 medical and health sciences; Postoperative Complications; 0302 clinical medicine; Predictive Value of Tests; Surveys and Questionnaires; Intubation, Intratracheal; Humans; Prospective Studies; Intraoperative Complications; [SDV.BC] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Cellular Biology; Aged; [SDV.BA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology; [SDV.SP]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Pharmaceutical sciences; Length of Stay; Middle Aged; Prognosis; Respiration Disorders; 3. Good health; [SDV] Life Sciences [q-bio]; [SDV.SP] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Pharmaceutical sciences; [SDV.AEN] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Food and Nutrition; Surgical Procedures, Operative; Female; [SDV.AEN]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Food and Nutrition

The STOP-BANG (SB) questionnaire, a tool originally proposed for identifying patients at risk of obstructive sleep apnoea, may also identify patients at increased risk of perioperative complications (when>3). Perioperative complications, including respiratory ones, are more frequent in emergency surgery. This study aimed at evaluating whether the SB is predictive of perioperative respiratory complications in urgent surgery.Consecutive adult patients admitted for an urgent surgery under general anaesthesia were included. The STOP-BANG questionnaire was completed before anaesthesia. Perioperative respiratory complications were prospectively recorded during surgery and in the postoperative care unit (PACU).One hundred and eighty-nine patients were included (women 46%, median age 60 [43-78] years old) of which 104 (55%) were SB+. Diabetes mellitus and arrhythmia were more frequent in the SB+ patients than in SB-. The ASA class was higher in SB+ patients compared with SB-, but type and duration of surgery were statistically similar. The incidence of respiratory complications was higher in SB+ patients both during surgery (21% versus 6%, P<0.002) and in the PACU (57% versus 34%, P=0.0015). Furthermore, SB+ patients had a prolonged length of hospital stay (6 [3-12] versus 4 [2-7] days, P=0.0002). In a multivariate analysis, the STOP-BANG score was independently associated with respiratory complications (OR [CI 95%]=1.44 [1.03-2.03], P=0.03).An elevated STOP-BANG score (≥ 3) is associated with an increased risk of perioperative respiratory complications and with prolonged length of stay in urgent surgery patients.