Obstructive sleep apnoea predicted by the STOP-BANG questionnaire is not associated with higher rates of post-operative complications among a high-risk surgical cohort.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to establish if obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) predicted by the STOP-BANG questionnaire would be associated with higher rates of post-operative cardiac, respiratory or neurological complications among a selected high-risk population with established major comorbidities undergoing major surgery. We hypothesise that a cohort selected for major comorbidities will show a higher post-operative complication rate that may power any potential association with co-existent OSA and identify an important target group for OSA screening and treatment pathways in preparation for major surgery. Patients attending a high-risk preadmission clinic prior to major surgery from May 2015 to November 2015 were prospectively screened for OSA using the STOP-BANG questionnaire. Patients with treated OSA were excluded. Patient data and complications were attained from the pre-admission clinic and subsequent inpatient medical record at discharge. Three-hundred-and-ten patients were included in the study (age 68.6 ± 13.1years, body mass index [BMI] 30.6 ± 7.4kg/m2; 52.9% female). Sixty-four patients (20.6%) experienced 82 post-operative complications. Seventy-five percent of the cohort had a STOP-BANG ≥ 3. There was no association between the STOP-BANG score (unadjusted and adjusted for comorbidity) with the development of post-operative complications. OSA predicted by the STOP-BANG score was not associated with higher rates of post-operative complications in patients with major comorbidities undergoing high-risk surgery. As the findings from this cohort contrast with other observational studies, more definitive studies are required to establish a causative link between OSA and post-operative complications and determine whether treating OSA reduces this complication rate.