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.