The STOP-BANG questionnaire is a screening tool that helps identify symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The questionnaire is made up of eight questions, four of which are self-reported and four of which are demographic. The acronym STOP-BANG stands for the four self-reported questions, which are:
- S: Snoring loudly
- T: Tiredness during the day
- O: Observed apnea during sleep
- P: High blood pressure
The four demographic questions are:
- B: Body mass index (BMI)
- A: Age
- N: Neck circumference
- G: Gender
STOP BANG Questions:
Each question is answered with a yes or no, or by filling in a blank. A positive response is worth one point, and a negative response is worth zero points. The total score is then used to classify the risk of OSA as low, intermediate, or high:
- 0–2 points: Low risk
- 3–4 points: Intermediate risk
- 5 or more points: High risk
Questionnaire:
- Snoring: Do you snore loudly? (Yes or No)
- Tiredness: Do you often feel tired, fatigued or sleepy during the day, even after a good night’s sleep? (Yes or No)
- Observed Apnea: Has anyone ever observed you stop breathing during your sleep? (Yes or No)
- Pressure: Do you have or are you being treated for high blood pressure? (Yes or No)
- Body mass index: Is your BMI over 35? (Yes or No)
- Age: Are you older than 50 years? (Yes or No)
- Neck size: Does your neck measure more than 15 3/4 inches? (Yes or No)
- Gender: Are you male? (Yes or No)
If you answer YES to 3 or more questions you are at high risk of obstructive sleep apnea.
According to a 2021 meta-analysis, the STOP-BANG questionnaire can accurately detect moderate to severe OSA across different geographic regions. However, the test isn’t perfect because some risk factors are more important than others, and how neck circumference is measured can affect the score. For example, someone with a high BMI or a larger neck is more likely to have OSA than someone who is older, but the test awards each item the same number of points.
