- Sleep
- Pulmonology
- Anesthesia
- General medicine
STOP-BANG score
Detecting a risk of sleep apnea
The STOP-BANG score is a screening questionnaire for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in adults. It combines symptoms and risk factors to estimate the probability of OSA and guide evaluation, particularly in the preoperative context. It does not, on its own, allow for a diagnosis.
- Number of questions
- 8 questions
- Approximate duration
- 1 to 2 minutes
- Population
- Adults
- Modality
- Self-administered questionnaire, with morphometric data to be completed
QuestionnaireSTOP-BANG
SELF-QUESTIONNAIRE
The questionnaire combines four clinical elements (snoring, fatigue or daytime sleepiness, observed apnoeas and high blood pressure) and four individual characteristics: body mass index, age, neck circumference and gender. The answers are binary, according to the criteria of the version used.
Are you patient?
You can complete this questionnaire yourself and present the results to your healthcare professional. Some information, particularly body measurements, can be verified with them.
Terms of contract
For the assessment to be usable, the data required to calculate BMI and neck circumference must be available.
Score interpretationSTOP-BANG
Each 'yes' answer scores 1 point, for a total between 0 and 8. The initial classification distinguishes between a low (0–2), intermediate (3–4), or high (5–8) risk of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, particularly moderate to severe. Additional stratification can be applied to intermediate scores.
Total score
First reading
0 to 2
Low risk
3 to 4
Intermediate risk, to be specified with additional criteria
5 to 8
High risk
For scores of 3 or 4, a high risk can also be determined if the patient meets at least two STOP criteria, combined with one of the following factors: male sex, BMI greater than 35 kg/m², or neck circumference exceeding the threshold defined by the reference version (the official website uses ≥40 cm).
The result must be compared with the symptoms and the clinical context. A high score does not confirm OSA and does not determine its severity. The diagnosis is based on a clinical evaluation and an appropriate sleep study.
Frequently asked questions
Sources and references
Frances Chung and collaborators
Initial validation: Anesthesiology, 2008. Algorithm for use: Chest, 2016.
Questionnaires and associated scores
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