Identification of surgical patients at high risk of OSAS using the Berlin Questionnaire to detect potential high risk of adverse respiratory events in post anesthesia care unit.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) increases the risk of post-surgery complications. This study uses Berlin Questionnaire (BQ) to identify Chinese adult surgical patients who are at a high risk of OSAS and to determine if the BQ could be used to detect potential high risk of adverse respiratory events in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU). Results indicated that only 11.4% of the patients were considered at a high risk of OSAS. Age and body mass index are the key factors for the risk of OSAS prevalence in China and also gender specific. Furthermore, the incidence of adverse respiratory events in the PACU was higher in patients with high risk of OSAS than others (6.8% vs. 0.9%, P < 0.001). They also stayed longer than others in the PACU (95 ± 28 min vs. 62 ± 19 min, P < 0.001). Age, high risk for OSAS, and smoking were independent risk factors for the occurrence of adverse respiratory events in the PACU. The BQ may be adopted as a screening tool for anesthesiologists in China to identify patients who are at high risk of OSAS and determine the potential risk of developing postoperative respiratory complications in the PACU.