STOP-BANG
Obstructive sleep apnoea risk screening with eight clinical criteria.
Switch how results are explained
Low risk of obstructive sleep apnoea (0-2). Moderate-to-severe OSA is unlikely; no sleep study indicated on this basis alone.
- Evidence grade
- A
What it is and when to use it
STOP-BANG scores eight criteria - snoring, daytime tiredness, observed apnoeas, hypertension, BMI, age, neck circumference and sex - one point each.
How to interpret it
0-2 is low risk, 3-4 intermediate risk, 5-8 high risk of obstructive sleep apnoea. Its strength is negative predictive value: a low score makes moderate-to-severe apnoea unlikely.
Limitations and when not to use it
This is a screening tool, not a diagnostic one. Diagnosis requires polysomnography or a home respiratory sleep study. A high score in a patient scheduled for surgery warrants consideration of perioperative precautions.
Formulas and cut-offs are from the original authors of each score; see the references.
Last reviewed: June 2026
References
- Chung F, Yegneswaran B, Liao P, et al. STOP questionnaire: a tool to screen patients for obstructive sleep apnea. Anesthesiology. 2008;108(5):812-821. PMID:18431116