Screening commercial drivers for obstructive sleep apnea: validation of stop-bang questionnaire

Abstract

Objectives: The main aim has been to examine psychometric properties of STOP-Bang (snoring, tiredness, observed apnea, high blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), age, neck circumference, male gender) scoring model (Serbian translation), an obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) screening tool, in a sample of commercial drivers. Material and Methods: After formal translation, validation was performed on a sample of bus and truck drivers evaluating test-retest reliability, construct and criterion validity. Overnight polysomnography or cardiorespiratory polygraphy were used for OSA diagnosis purposes. Results: One hundred male participants, 24–62 years old, were included. STOP-Bang classified 69% as potential OSA patients. Polysomnography identified OSA in 57% of the sample. Test-retest reliability (Cohen’s κ = 0.89) was adequate. STOP-Bang score was significantly correlated to apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and OSA severity. Sensitivity was 100% for AHI ≥ 15, highest specificity was 53.5% (AHI ≥ 5). Conclusions: STOP-Bang showed good measurement properties, supporting its further use in OSA screening of commercial drivers.