Validation of the STOP-Bang questionnaire as a screening tool for obstructive sleep apnoea in patients with cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis

[Sleep and sleep disorders in old age]

The increasing interruptions of nocturnal sleep with aging must be distinguished from actual sleep disorders. Morbidity and medication have an impact on sleep. The relationship between sleep and morbidity is mutual. Disturbed sleep modifies many clinical symptoms and diseases affect sleep and the ability to sleep. Geriatric syndromes such as falls, depression and dementia are modified by sleep disorders. Geriatric syndromes can be favorably influenced by the treatment of sleep disorders. Adequate diagnostics are important prerequisites. Coincidences of different sleep disorders are frequent. The medical history of patients and a sleep diary form the basis of the diagnostics. Sleep medicine provides further technical examination procedures. Older people should be examined in a sleep laboratory if the results have consequences that are accepted by the patient. This should be clarified in advance.

Prevalence and regional distribution of obstructive sleep apnea in Canada: Analysis from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging

OBJECTIVES

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common chronic condition that is often undiagnosed or diagnosed after many years of symptoms and has an impact on quality of life and several health factors. We estimated the Canadian national prevalence of OSA using a validated questionnaire and physical measurements in participants in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA).

METHODS

The method used individual risk estimation based upon the validated STOP-BANG scale developed for OSA. This stratified population sample spans Canada to provide regional estimates.

RESULTS

In this sample of adults aged 45 to 85 years old, the overall prevalence in 2015 of combined moderate and severe OSA in the 51,337 participants was 28.1% (95% confidence intervals, 27.8‒28.4). The regional prevalence varied statistically between Atlantic Canada and Western Canada (p < 0.001), although clinically the variations were limited. The provincial prevalence for moderate and severe OSA ranged from 27.5% (New Brunswick and British Columbia) to 29.1% (Manitoba). Body mass index (BMI) was the dominant determinant of the variance between provinces (β = 0.33, p < 0.001). Only 1.2% of participants had a clinical diagnosis of OSA.

CONCLUSION

The great majority (92.9%) of the participants at high risk of OSA were unrecognized and had no clinical diagnosis of OSA.

Association between obstructive sleep apnea risk and type 2 diabetes among Emirati adults: results from the UAE healthy future study

Introduction

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can have negative impacts on the health outcomes of individuals with type 2 diabetes. However, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), there is a lack of understanding regarding the relationship between OSA and type 2 diabetes despite the significant implications it has on health. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the association between OSA risk and type 2 diabetes, associated risk factors, and gender differences in OSA symptoms among Emirati adults.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the baseline data from the UAE Healthy Future Study (UAEHFS) collected between February 2016 and March 2023. Our sample consisted of 4578 participants aged 18-71 who completed the STOP-BANG survey, provided body measurements and blood samples. We stratified the patients according to their OSA risk and diabetes. We used univariate and multivariate logistic regression models to analyze the relationship between OSA risk and type 2 diabetes and to identify factors associated with risk for OSA and type 2 diabetes. We estimated odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).

Results

The mean age was 27.5 years (± 8.35), and 55.81% (n=2555) were men. The overall prevalence of high risk for OSA was 16.58% and was higher in men compared to women (26.46% vs 4.10%). Women reported feeling tired more often than men (68.02% vs 48.96%). Both genders have similar rates of stop breathing and BMI ≥ 35. There was a significant association between the OSA risk and type 2 diabetes in the unadjusted model (OR=2.44; 95% CI: 1.78-3.35; p-value <0.0001) and (OR=6.44; 95% CI: 4.32-9.59; p-value < 0.0001) among those who reported intermediate and high OSA risk, respectively. After adjusting the model for education attainment, marital status, waist circumference, and smoking, the association remained significant between diabetes and OSA risk, with an OR of 1.65 (95%CI: 1.18-2.32; p-value =0.004) for intermediate OSA risk and 3.44 (95%CI: 2.23-5.33; p-value <0.0001) for high OSA risk.

Conclusions

This study conducted in the UAE found a significant correlation between OSA risk and type 2 diabetes. We suggest introducing routine screening of OSA for individuals with diabetes.

Sex-dependent GOAL screening performance in adults at risk for obstructive sleep apnea

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate possible sex-related differences in the performance of the GOAL, a 4-item obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) screening instrument in adults.

METHODS

Between July 2019 and June 2021, this cross-sectional study included consecutively recruited patients from one Brazilian sleep laboratory undergoing overnight polysomnography. Individuals with GOAL scores ≥ 2 of a maximum of 4 points are classified at high risk for OSA diagnosis. Actual OSA severity was based on the apnea-hypopnea index: ≥ 5.0/h as any OSA, ≥ 15.0/h as moderate-to-severe OSA, and ≥ 30.0/h as severe OSA. Performance of the GOAL instrument in women and men was assessed by the discriminatory ability (obtained from area under the curve [AUC]-Receiver Operating Characteristic curves) and 2×2 contingency tables.

RESULTS

A total of 2,978 subjects (55.3% males) were evaluated. The frequency of GOAL-defined OSA high-risk was statistically higher in men when compared to women (p < 0.001). The GOAL predictive parameters for screening all severity OSA levels were as follows: in females, sensitivity ranging from 58.2% to 78.3% and specificity ranging from 60.0% to 77.6%, while in males, sensitivity ranging from 90.5% to 96.9% and specificity from 20.7% to 46.8%. The GOAL questionnaire had similar discriminatory properties, assessed by AUC, in women and in men: i) any OSA: 0.741 vs. 0.771 (p = 0.204), ii) moderate-to-severe OSA: 0.727 vs. 0.737 (p = 0.595), and iii) severe OSA: 0.728 vs. 0.703 (p = 0.240); respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The GOAL instrument emerges as a useful tool for screening adult individuals and displays similar performance in both women and men.

Association between Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Chronic Kidney Disease According to Sex, Long Working Hours: The Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2019-2020)

This study aimed to investigate whether obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with an increased risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and to perform subgroup analysis by sex and working hours. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 8157 subjects who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). The adults completed the STOP-BANG score to measure their risk of OSA, and blood and urine samples were collected to ascertain the severity of CKD based on the estimated glomerular filtration rate and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio. Multivariate logistic regression was used for complex sample analysis. After fully adjusting for the confounding variables, the high-risk OSA group showed a significantly higher risk of developing albuminuria and CKD than the low-risk group, particularly among men. Odds ratio (OR) 1.72, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13-2.6 and (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.14-2.45), respectively. Additionally, men who worked for 40 h/week showed a significant association between OSA, CKD, and albuminuria. This study supports the link between OSA and the risk of kidney disease, especially among men and those who work long hours. Screening and treating OSA may be a crucial strategy for preventing kidney disease, particularly in high-risk populations.

Insights into the Use of Point-of-Care Ultrasound for Diagnosing Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleeping disorder caused by complete or partial disturbance of breathing during the night. Existing screening methods include questionnaire-based evaluations which are time-consuming, vary in specificity, and are not globally adopted. Point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS), on the other hand, is a painless, inexpensive, portable, and useful tool that has already been introduced for the evaluation of upper airways by anesthetists. PoCUS could also serve as a potential screening tool for the diagnosis of OSA by measuring different airway parameters, including retropalatal pharynx transverse diameter, tongue base thickness, distance between lingual arteries, lateral parapharyngeal wall thickness, palatine tonsil volume, and some non-airway parameters like carotid intima-media thickness, mesenteric fat thickness, and diaphragm characteristics. This study reviewed previously reported studies to highlight the importance of PoCUS as a potential screening tool for OSA.

Screening for obstructive sleep apnea: comparing the American Academy of Sleep Medicine proposed criteria with the STOP-Bang, NoSAS, and GOAL instruments

STUDY OBJECTIVES

We evaluated the performance of the 2017 American Academy of Sleep Medicine criteria (AASM2017) in screening obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and compared them with 3 other validated instruments: NoSAS score, STOP-Bang, and GOAL questionnaires.

METHODS

From July 2019 to December 2021, 4,499 adults undergoing overnight polysomnography were included. The AASM2017 instrument considers an increased high risk for moderate-to-severe OSA in the presence of excessive daytime sleepiness and at least 2 of the following 3 criteria: loud snoring; observed apnea, gasping, or choking; and hypertension. OSA severity was based on polysomnography-derived apnea-hypopnea index cutoffs: 5.0 events/h, 15.0 events/h, and 30.0 events/h. Predictive performance was evaluated by the area under the curve and contingency tables.

RESULTS

When screening for any OSA severity, AASM2017 displayed a sensitivity of 31.0-40.6% and a specificity of 80.8-89.6%. For all apnea-hypopnea index thresholds, AASM2017, unlike the GOAL, STOP-Bang, and NoSAS, exhibited superior specificity but markedly lower sensitivity. GOAL, STOP-Bang, and NoSAS, but not AASM2017 criteria, emerged as an adequate screening tool for any OSA severity (all areas under the curve > 0.7) and performed significantly better than AASM2017 in predicting any OSA severity (all P < .001). For all severity OSA levels, GOAL, STOP-Bang, and NoSAS displayed similar performance when compared to each other (all P > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

GOAL, STOP-Bang, and NoSAS instruments, but not AASM2017 criteria, emerge as useful OSA screening tools in a large referral single-center clinical cohort.

CITATION

Duarte RLM, Magalhães-da-Silveira FJ, Gozal D. Screening for obstructive sleep apnea: comparing the American Academy of Sleep Medicine proposed criteria with the STOP-Bang, NoSAS, and GOAL instruments. J Clin Sleep Med. 2023;19(7):1239-1246.

Screening for Obstructive Sleep Apnea in truck drivers

Professional drivers show a higher prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) compared with the general population. OSA has been widely associated with an increased risk of traffic accidents. This article aims to investigate the presence of risk factors for OSA, its prevalence and the value of screening tools in a truck drivers' cohort. Descriptive and analytical prospective study. Demographic, anthropometric, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, STOP-Bang and Berlin Questionnaire were used to select subjects with suspicion of OSA. Polysomnography (PSG) was performed in individuals with positive screening. Mean age was 44.6±7 years, mean body mass index was 28.7±4 kg/m². Of the 281 truck drivers screened, 88 were positive for potential OSA. Of these, 63 completed PSG study and the diagnosis was confirmed in 85.7% (prevalence of 19.2%). The following variables showed a positive correlation with the apnea-hypopnea index: neck circumference and STOP-Bang. The combination of a predominantly male population, obesity, age distribution and lifestyle could account for the high prevalence of OSA in this specific population. Questionnaires proved to be a valuable screening tool. Screening, treatment, and management of OSA should be a priority as a public safety policy.

Atrial fibrillation-specific refinement of the STOP-Bang sleep apnoea screening questionnaire: insights from the Virtual-SAFARI study

BACKGROUND

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is prevalent in up to 50% of patients referred for atrial fibrillation (AF) catheter ablation (CA). Currently, it remains unclear how to improve pre-selection for SDB screening in patients with AF.

AIM

We aimed to (1) assess the accuracy of the STOP-Bang screening questionnaire for detection of SDB within an AF population referred for CA; (2) derive a refined, AF-specific SDB score to improve pre-selection.

METHODS

Consecutive AF patients referred for CA without a history of SDB and/or SDB screening were included. Patients were digitally referred to the previously implemented Virtual-SAFARI SDB screening and management pathway including a home sleep test. An apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) of  ≥ 15 was interpreted as moderate-to-severe SDB. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess characteristics associated with moderate-to-severe SDB to refine pre-selection for SDB screening.

RESULTS

Of 206 included patients, 51% were diagnosed with moderate-to-severe SDB. The STOP-Bang questionnaire performed poorly in detecting SDB, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.647 (95% Confidence-Interval (CI) 0.573-0.721). AF-specific refinement resulted in the BOSS-GAP score. Therein, BMI with cut-off point ≥ 27 kg/m2 and previous stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) were added, while tiredness and neck circumference were removed. The BOSS-GAP score performed better with an AUROC of 0.738 (95% CI 0.672-0.805) in the overall population.

CONCLUSION

AF-specific refinement of the STOP-Bang questionnaire moderately improved detection of SDB in AF patients referred for CA. Whether questionnaires bring benefits for pre-selection of SDB compared to structural screening in patients with AF requires further studies.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ISOLATION was registered NCT04342312, 13-04-2020.

The Usefulness of Questionnaires in Assessing the Risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Patients in the Managed Care after Acute Myocardial Infarction Program-The Results of a Cross-Sectional Study

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) worsens prognosis after myocardial infarction (MI) but often remains undiagnosed. The study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of questionnaires in assessing the risk of OSA in patients participating in managed care after an acute myocardial infarction program. Study group: 438 patients (349 (79.7%) men) aged 59.92 ± 10.92, hospitalized in the day treatment cardiac rehabilitation department 7-28 days after MI. OSA risk assessment: A 4-variable screening tool (4-V), STOP-BANG questionnaire, Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), and adjusted neck circumference (ANC). The home sleep apnea testing (HSAT) was performed on 275 participants. Based on four scales, a high risk of OSA was found in 283 (64.6%) responders, including 248 (56.6%) based on STOP-BANG, 163 (37.5%) based on ANC, 115 (26.3%) based on 4-V, and 45 (10.3%) based on ESS. OSA was confirmed in 186 (68.0%) participants: mild in 85 (30.9%), moderate in 53 (19.3%), and severe in 48 (17.5%). The questionnaires' sensitivity and specificity in predicting moderate-to-severe OSA were: for STOP-BANG-79.21% (95% confidence interval; CI 70.0-86.6) and 35.67% (95% CI 28.2-43.7); ANC-61.39% (95% CI 51.2-70.9) and 61.15% (95% CI 53.1-68.8); 4-V-45.54% (95% CI 35.6-55.8) and 68.79% (95% CI 60.9-75.9); ESS-16.83% (95% CI 10.1-25.6) and 87.90% (95% CI 81.7-92.6). OSA is common in post-MI patients. The ANC most accurately estimates the risk of OSA eligible for positive airway pressure therapy. The sensitivity of the ESS in the post-MI population is insufficient and limits this scale's usefulness in risk assessment and qualification for treatment.

Wake-up ischemic stroke associated with short sleep duration and sleep behavior: A stratified analysis according to risk of obstructive sleep apnea

OBJECTIVE

Wake-up stroke (WUS) is an ischemic stroke occurring during nocturnal sleep with neurological deficits observed upon awakening. Our study aimed to investigate the association between WUS, sleep curtailment, and sleep behavior according to the obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) risk in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

METHODS

This single-centered, retrospective study included hospitalized subjects with acute ischemic stroke occurring within 30 days. A total of 250 participants were classified as WUS or not and enquired about their sleep habits concerning sleep time on weekdays and weekends, demographic factors, and assessed comorbid medical conditions. Weekend catch-up sleep (CUS) was defined as the extension of sleep duration during weekends. The average weekly sleep duration and chronotype were assessed. The association between WUS and sleep factors was analyzed.

RESULTS

WUS was observed in 70 patients (28.0%) with acute ischemic stroke. There were no significant differences in the demographic and stroke-related variables between the WUS and non-WUS (NWUS) groups. Upon stratified analysis based on risk of OSA, average weekly sleep duration (odds ratio, [OR] = 0.60, 95% confidence interval, [CI] = 0.41-0.89; p = 0.011), the presence of weekend CUS (OR = 0.07, 95% CI = 0.01-0.97; p = 0.047), and chronotype (OR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.39-0.98; p = 0.041) were independently associated with WUS in low-risk group with OSA, but not in the high-risk group.

CONCLUSIONS

Short sleep duration and lack of compensation are significantly associated with WUS in low-risk OSA group. Insufficient sleep and sleep behaviors could play a different role in causing ischemic stroke during sleep when patients are stratified by their risk of sleep apnea.

Validation of the STOP-Bang questionnaire as a preoperative screening tool for obstructive sleep apnea: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder that is highly associated with postoperative complications. The STOP-Bang questionnaire is a simple screening tool for OSA. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the validity of the STOP-Bang questionnaire for screening OSA in the surgical population cohort.

METHODS

A systematic search of the following databases was performed from 2008 to May 2021: MEDLINE, Medline-in-process, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, Journals @ Ovid, Web of Science, Scopus, and CINAHL. Continued literature surveillance was performed through October 2021.

RESULTS

The systematic search identified 4641 articles, from which 10 studies with 3247 surgical participants were included in the final analysis. The mean age was 57.3 ± 15.2 years, and the mean BMI was 32.5 ± 10.1 kg/m² with 47.4% male. The prevalence of all, moderate-to-severe, and severe OSA were 65.2, 37.7, and 17.0%, respectively. The pooled sensitivity of the STOP-Bang questionnaire for all, moderate-to-severe, and severe OSA was 85, 88, and 90%, and the pooled specificities were 47, 29, and 27%, respectively. The area under the curve for all, moderate-to-severe, and severe OSA was 0.84, 0.67, and 0.63.

CONCLUSIONS

In the preoperative setting, the STOP-Bang questionnaire is a valid screening tool to detect OSA in patients undergoing surgery, with a high sensitivity and a high discriminative power to reasonably exclude severe OSA with a negative predictive value of 93.2%.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO registration  CRD42021260451 .

The value of nurse-led anthropometric and oropharyngeal measurements combined with STOP-Bang questionnaire in screening for obstructive sleep apnea in patients with acute coronary syndrome: a prospective cohort study

Background

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a modifiable risk factor for acute coronary syndrome (ACS), with high prevalence but low diagnostic rates. Therefore, it is particularly important to develop strategies for better screening for OSA in newly admitted ACS patients.

Methods

From March 2017 to October 2019, consecutive eligible patients with ACS underwent cardiorespiratory polygraphy during hospitalization. OSA was defined as an apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 15 events/h. All anthropometric and oropharyngeal parameters are measured by specialist nurses.

Results

Finally, 761 ACS patients were recruited in the present study. Prevalence of moderate/severe OSA was 53.2% based on diagnostic criteria of AHI ≥ 15. Correlation analysis illustrated that AHI was positively correlated with anthropometric characteristics. In the multivariate model, only micrognathia (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.02–4.00, P = 0.044), waist circumference (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.04–1.11, P < 0.001), and STOP-BANG Questionnaire (SBQ) score (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.27–1.66, P < 0.001) were independently associated with the prevalence of OSA. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis showed that the area under curve (AUC) of multivariable joint diagnosis (waist circumference, micrognathia combined with SBQ) was significantly better than the AUC of Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and SBQ (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0002, respectively), and the results showed that AUC was 0.728. Under the optimal truncation value, the sensitivity was 73%, and the specificity was 61%, which was higher than the single index. Finally, we also constructed a nomogram model based on multiple logistic regression, to easily determine the probability of OSA in ACS patients.

Conclusions

The new screening tool has greater power than single questionnaire or measurements in screening of OSA among ACS patients.

Trial registration

Clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT03362385, registered December 5, 2017.

SANReSP: A new Italian questionnaire to screen patients for obstructive sleep apnea

Purpose

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common, prevalent, and underdiagnosed disorder. Its lack of diagnosis and treatment is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Previous screening questionnaires investigated parameters including body mass index, age, neck circumference, and sex, in addition to symptoms. This study aimed to validate a new Italian, self-administered, and easy-to-use six-item questionnaire that evaluates only subjective symptoms.

Patients and methods

The present study included 2622 patients (male, 2011; female, 611). Patients who were at least 18 years old, spoke Italian, referred to our sleep clinic for possible OSA, and completed the self-administered SANReSP questionnaire were recruited for the study. The predictive performance of the questionnaire was also evaluated.

Results

Nocturnal study showed 89.9% of OSA patients had apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 5/h; 68.7%, AHI ≥ 15/h; and 48.2%, AHI ≥ 30/h. The optimal SANReSP score for AHI ≥ 5/h was >3 with a sensitivity and specificity of 74.76% and 67.92%, respectively, and an area under receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) of 0.76. For moderate–severe OSA, the optimal SANReSP score was >3 (sensitivity, 78.18%; specificity, 46.53%; ROC, 0.66). For severe OSA, the optimal SANReSP score was >4 (sensitivity, 59.10%; specificity, 64.73%; ROC, 0.65). The probability of OSA increased with higher SANReSP scores (98.7% and 97.9% in men and women, respectively).

Conclusion

The SANReSP questionnaire is a short, easy-to-use, and self-administered screening tool for OSA. Its performance is similar to that of other widely used questionnaires; furthermore, it is advantageous in that it does not require anthropometric measurements.

STOP-Bang Score and Prediction of Severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in a First Nation Community in Saskatchewan, Canada

The STOP-Bang questionnaire is an easy-to-administer scoring model to screen and identify patients at high risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, its diagnostic utility has never been tested with First Nation peoples. The objective was to determine the predictive parameters and the utility of the STOP-Bang questionnaire as an OSA screening tool in a First Nation community in Saskatchewan. The baseline survey of the First Nations Sleep Health Project (FNSHP) was completed between 2018 and 2019. Of the available 233 sleep apnea tests, 215 participants completed the STOP-Bang score questionnaire. A proportional odds ordinal logistic regression analysis was conducted using the total score of the STOP-Bang as the independent variable with equal weight given to each response. Predicted probabilities for each score at cut-off points of the Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) were calculated and plotted. To assess the performance of the STOP-Bang questionnaire, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values (PPVs), negative predictive values (NPVs), and area under the curve (AUC) were calculated. These data suggest that a STOP-Bang score ≥ 5 will allow healthcare professionals to identify individuals with an increased probability of moderate-to-severe OSA, with high specificity (93.7%) and NPV (91.8%). For the STOP-Bang score cut-off ≥ 3, the sensitivity was 53.1% for all OSA and 72.0% for moderate-to-severe OSA. For the STOP-Bang score cut-off ≥ 3, the specificity was 68.4% for all OSA and 62.6% for moderate-to-severe OSA. The STOP-Bang score was modestly superior to the symptom of loud snoring, or loud snoring plus obesity in this population. Analysis by sex suggested that a STOP-Bang score ≥ 5 was able to identify individuals with increased probability of moderate-to-severe OSA, for males with acceptable diagnostic test accuracy for detecting participants with OSA, but there was no diagnostic test accuracy for females.

The usefulness of the Spanish version of the STOP-Bang questionnaire for screening for moderate or severe sleep apnea syndrome in primary care

Rationale

Sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSA) is a highly prevalent disease and has been related to cardiovascular diseases and occupational and traffic accidents. Currently, it is estimated that there is a significant underdiagnosis of OSA, mainly due to the difficulty accessing the tests for that purpose.

Objective

To determine the usefulness of the Spanish version of the STOP-Bang questionnaire (SBQ) for screening for moderate or severe OSA in the adult population attending primary care.

Methods

A descriptive observational multicenter study was conducted. Through an opportunistic search, (patients over 18 years old), were recruited in seven primary care centers. The SBQ was applied to them and home respiratory polygraphy (HRP) was subsequently performed to confirm the diagnosis of OSA. The criterion validity of the SBQ was analyzed, comparing the score obtained by the SBQ with the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) obtained by RP, establishing the diagnosis of OSA for an AHI>5. The reliability of the questionnaire was evaluated.

Results

A total of 255 subjects, 54.1% men, with a mean age of 54.76 ± 10 years, were recruited in the study. The results showed that 61.57% (95% Confidence Interval: 55.57-67.57) of the subjects presented OSA, presenting 22.75% (17.57-57.92) a mild OSA (530) (11.54-20.62). The Kuder and Richardson coefficient was 0.623 (0.335-0.788) and Cohen's Kappa coefficient was 0.871 (0.520-1.00; p < 0.001). For moderate/severe OSA screening (AHI>15) the SBQ obtained an ROC curve of 0.769 (0.704-0.833) that with an optimal cutoff of 3, achieved a sensitivity of 84.85% (77.28-92.42) and a specificity of 55.10% (44.74-65.46).

Conclusions

The SBQ is very effective for detecting moderate/severe OSA. Its psychometric properties are similar to those obtained in studies on other populations. Because of its ease of use, the SBQ is a very useful tool for primary health care professionals.

Associations of Chronic Diabetes Complications and Cardiovascular Risk with the Risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with increased mortality and morbidity, including cardiovascular diseases and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The aim of this study was to assess the associations between cardiovascular risk, chronic diabetes complications and the risk of OSA in adult patients with T2DM. Methods: The study included 529 patients with T2DM in whom moderate-to-severe OSA risk was assessed using the STOP-Bang questionnaire, dividing the subjects into two groups: group 1: STOP-Bang score <5, and group 2: STOP-Bang score ≥5, respectively. In all the subjects, cardiovascular risk was assessed using the UKPDS risk engine. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0, the results being statistically significant if p value was <0.05. Results: 59% of the subjects scored ≥5 on the STOP-Bang questionnaire. We recorded statistically significant differences between the two groups regarding diabetes duration, HbA1c, HOMA-IR, albuminuria, as well as cardiovascular risk at 10 years for both coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke (p < 0.05). Furthermore, through logistic regression, adjusting for confounding factors, we demonstrated that the STOP-Bang score ≥ 5 is a risk factor for 10-year fatal and nonfatal CHD risk. Conclusions: It is extremely important to screen and diagnose OSA in patients with T2DM, in order to improve the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events in these patients.

The association between sleep disturbances and tooth loss among post-stroke patients

ABSTRACT Background: Loss of teeth has been associated with neurological and sleep disorders. It is considered to be a predictor of stroke and leads to modifications of airway patency and predisposition to obstructive sleep apnea. Objective: To investigate sleep quality, risk of obstructive sleep apnea and excessive sleepiness among post-stroke patients with tooth loss attending the Neurovascular Clinic of the Federal University of São Paulo. Methods: The prevalence rates of different types of stroke were assessed among 130 patients with different degrees of tooth loss, along with the presence of sleep disturbances, risk of obstructive sleep apnea and excessive daytime sleepiness. Results: The prevalence of ischemic stroke was 94.6%, with either no significant disability or slight disability. Our sample had poor sleep quality, and a high risk of obstructive sleep apnea, but without excessive daytime sleepiness. Half of our sample had lost between 9 and 31 teeth, and more than 25% had edentulism. The majority used full removable dental prostheses, and more than half of these individuals slept without removing the prosthesis. Conclusions: We found high prevalence of poor sleep quality and high risk of obstructive sleep apnea among post-stroke patients with tooth loss. This indicates the need for further studies on treating and preventing sleep disturbances in stroke patients with tooth loss.

The Future of Sleep Measurements: A Review and Perspective

This article provides an overview of the current use, limitations, and future directions of the variety of subjective and objective sleep assessments available. This article argues for various ways and sources of collecting, combining, and using data to enlighten clinical practice and the sleep research of the future. It highlights the prospects of digital management platforms to store and present the data, and the importance of codesign when developing such platforms and other new instruments. It also discusses the abundance of opportunities that data science and machine learning open for the analysis of data.