AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare the efficiency of the STOP-BANG 
and Berlin Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome questionnaires for evaluating 
potential respiratory complications during the perioperative period.
BACKGROUND: Questionnaires that are used to determine obstructive sleep apnoea 
risk are not widely used for surgical patients. Among the questionnaires that 
are commonly used for obstructive sleep apnoea screening, it remains unclear 
whether the STOP-BANG or Berlin Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome questionnaire 
is more effective in terms of ease of use, usage period and diagnosis of 
surgical patients with obstructive sleep apnoea risk.
DESIGN: This study was designed as a descriptive and prospective study.
METHODS: The study included 126 patients over 18 years of age who were American 
Society of Anesthesiologists classification class I-II and underwent 
laparoscopic cholecystectomy. To determine the potential obstructive sleep 
apnoea syndrome risk, the STOP-BANG and Berlin questionnaires were administered. 
Respiratory complications were then observed during the perioperative period.
RESULTS: During intubation and extubation, we observed statistically significant 
differences in difficult intubation, difficult facemask ventilation and 
desaturation frequency between the high- and low-risk groups for obstructive 
sleep apnoea syndrome, as determined by the STOP-BANG questionnaire. During 
extubation, statistically significant differences in coughing, breath-holding 
and desaturation frequency were observed between the high-risk and low-risk 
groups, according to the Berlin questionnaire. In the post-anaesthesia care 
unit, both questionnaires found statistically significant differences between 
the low- and high-risk groups.
CONCLUSION: Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome screening questionnaires 
administered during the preoperative period are useful for predicting 
perioperative respiratory complications. It may be most useful to administer the 
STOP-BANG questionnaire as the initial evaluation.
RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Questionnaires may be used to determine the risk 
of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome, which could impact the anaesthetisation of 
surgical patients. Questionnaires for determining the risk of obstructive sleep 
apnoea syndrome should be used regularly for surgical patients, and these 
questionnaires should be used to improve clinical protocols for anaesthesia and 
postanaesthesia care.