Impact of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Diagnosed Using the STOP-Bang Questionnaire Scale on Postoperative Complications Following Major Cardiac Surgery: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study

Purpose Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common and often undiagnosed condition in patients undergoing major surgeries, including cardiac surgery. This disorder is associated with peri- and postoperative problems. This study measured the association between OSA and peri- and postoperative complications in patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. Methods Candidates for elective cardiac surgery were evaluated for OSA by the STOP-Bang questionnaire before the surgery. We evaluated patients before and after the operation regarding the cardiac, respiratory, and neurologic complications. We divided the participants into high-risk (score of 5-8), intermediate-risk (score of 3-4), and low-risk groups (score of 0-2) based on the STOP-Bang questionnaire. Results Of the 306 patients who underwent cardiac surgery, 173 (56.5%) were in the high-risk group, 100 (32.7%) were in the intermediate-risk group, and 33 (10.8%) were in the low-risk group for OSA. Patients in the high-risk group were significantly older than the other two groups (p value=0.013), had higher BMI (p<0.001), and suffered more from relevant comorbid conditions, including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia (all p-values significant at < 0.05). However, not significant, patients in the high-risk group suffered more from postoperative complications including cardiac, respiratory, and neurological complications. Conclusion OSA is common in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Our findings indicate that these patients manifest a higher incidence of postoperative complications compared to those with a lower risk of OSA. Because of the limited use of polysomnography, a simple STOP-Bang questionnaire is beneficial to screen patients for the risk of OSA peri-operatively, and patients diagnosed with OSA can get extra care during and after the surgery.