Diagnostic value of berlin questionnaire as a screening tool for obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome

Introduction The aim of our study was to estimate the diagnostic value of Berlin Questionnaire (BQ) for screening obstructive sleep apnea- hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). Materials and methods One hundred fifty-five OSAS suspected patients were referred to "Sleep Research Laboratory" at the "Center of Preventive Cardiology". They were all screened by translated BQ and subsequently underwent full polysomnographic (PSG) examination. All PSG were done using "Embla N7000" and "Somnologica Studio 4.0" software. The statistical analysis was performed by CIA 2.2.0 software. Results From the studied sample, 138 (89.0%) were males, with a mean age of 44.8 ± 12.0years, body mass index – 34.6 ± 6.3kg/m 2 . Each category from three sections of BQ was estimated separately. Categories 1, 2 and 3 were positive in 92.3%, 56.8% and 85.8%, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) of BQ was calculated considering an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ⩾5/h as cutoff criteria for OSAHS, assessed by PSG. BQ sensitivity and specificity were 93.4 (95% CI 87.9–96.5%) and 52.6% (95% CI 31.7–72.7%). PPV and NPV were 93.4% (95% CI 87.9–96.5%) and 52.6% (95% CI 31.7–72.7%), respectively. Conclusion In our sample the BQ provides a high level sensitivity and moderate specificity for OSAHS diagnosis. Thus, BQ is a useful tool for screening, but it has a limited value for OSAHS diagnosis. Acknowledgements Anna Petrosyan laboratory technician.