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

Introduction Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is highly prevalent in patients with cardiovascular risk factors and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. This review presents the predictive parameters of the STOP-Bang questionnaire as a screening tool for OSA in this population. Methods A search of databases was performed. The inclusion criteria were: (1) use of the STOP-Bang questionnaire to screen for OSA in adults (>18 years) with cardiovascular risk factors; (2) polysomnography or home sleep apnoea testing performed as a reference standard; (3) OSA defined by either Apnoea-Hypopnoea Index (AHI) or Respiratory Disturbance Index; and (4) data on predictive parameters of the STOP-Bang questionnaire. A random-effects model was used to obtain pooled predictive parameters of the STOP-Bang questionnaire. Results The literature search resulted in 3888 articles, of which 9 papers met the inclusion criteria, involving 1894 patients. The average age of the included patients was 58 +/- 13 years with body mass index (BMI) of 30 +/- 6 kg/m(2), and 64% were male. The STOP-Bang questionnaire has a sensitivity of 89.1%, 90.7% and 93.9% to screen for all (AHI >= 5), moderate-to-severe (AHI >= 15) and severe (AHI >= 30) OSA, respectively. The specificity was 32.3%, 22.5% and 18.3% and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.86, 0.65 and 0.52 for all, moderate-to-severe and severe OSA, respectively. Conclusion The STOP-Bang questionnaire is an effective tool to screen for OSA (AHI >= 5) with AUC of 0.86 in patients with cardiovascular risk factors.

Automated summary

The STOP-Bang questionnaire is an effective screening tool for OSA in patients with cardiovascular risk factors, demonstrating high sensitivity for detecting OSA with AHI >= 5.