Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Pediatric-Modified-STOP-Bang (PM-STOP-Bang) as a screening tool to assess sleep related breathing disorders (SRBD) within a pediatric population. The specific aims of this study were: 1) compare the PM-STOP-Bang scores with those from the validated Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ), 2) determine the ability of the PM-STOP-Bang and the PSQ screening tools to accurately detect children of high risk for SRBD from a one-night home sleep apnea test (HSAT).
Methods: Orthodontic patients were screened using the PM-STOP-Bang at VCU Graduate Clinic. Patients (n=10) who were recruited and enrolled. Five were determined to be at high risk based on PM-STOP Bang score. After enrollment, a guardian completed the PSQ, the Pediatric Symptom checklist (PSC), and the child completed a one-night HSAT. Five age-matched controls were enrolled.
Results: Scores of PM-STOP-Bang compared to PSQ related to a sensitivity for the PM-STOP-Bang of 67% (95% CI: 29-100%) and a specificity of 75% (95% CI: 33-100%). Comparing the PM-STOP-Bang to the HSAT results, the PM-STOP-Bang had a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI: 100%, 100%) and a specificity of 71% (95% CI: 38%, 100%). The PSQ sensitivity was 67% (95% CI: 13%, 100%) and specificity 43% (95% CI: 6%, 80%).
Conclusions: The PM-STOP-Bang achieved a greater sensitivity and specificity than the PSQ in identifying children at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea when cases were confirmed with the HSAT. A future study with a larger sample size is needed to validate the PM-STOP-Bang
