Complications and predictors associated with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnoea in bariatric surgery: evaluation of routine obstructive sleep apnoea screening

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a breathing disorder resulting in blockage of airflow and hypo-oxygenation. The incidence of OSA in patients with class 2 or 3 obesity (Body Mass index, BMI >35) is 60-70%. Unfortunately, most bariatric patients are unaware they suffer from OSA. Untreated OSA can lead to perioperative cardiopulmonary complications. The aim of this study was to identify predictors associated with moderate to severe OSA and asses the incidence of OSA-related complications in a large cohort of patients who underwent OSA-screening and treatment if indicated before bariatric surgery. All consecutive patients who underwent primary bariatric surgery between September 2013 and September 2019 were included. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify potential predictors for moderate to severe OSA using sleep studies. A total of 2872 patients who underwent bariatric surgery were included for analysis. Overall, OSA was identified in 62.5% of all patients and moderate to severe OSA (AHI ≥15) in 28.6%. Independent predictors for moderate to severe OSA were male gender (p