Relationship between snoring and pulmonary complication after coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Obstructive sleep apnea and snoring are associated with high blood pressure, stroke, and cognitive impairment, as well as increased risk of perioperative heart events and respiratory failure. This study aimed to investigate the association between snoring and pulmonary complications after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.Methods and Materials: In this cross sectional study, 232 participants referred to two general hospitals in Mashhad, Iran from Dec 2017 to Jan 2018 for coronary artery bypass surgery were categorized to two groups of snoring and non-snoring. For each participant, a checklist including demographic information, snoring history, medical history, lung complications and laboratory findings were completed. In addition, three snoring questionnaires including STOP-BANG, Berlin and Epworth were filled out. The results showed that there were no statistically significant differences between groups in term of age (P = 0.404). There was a significant difference in oxygen saturation, duration of extubation, and length of stay in ICU and surgery ward in the snoring group. The mean score of the snoring group was significantly high according to Epworth scale (P = 0.001). Based on the Berlin and STOP-BANG questionnaire, participants with snoring had a significant risk of apnea and obstructive sleep apnea (p=0.008 and p=0.001, respectively). There was no significant difference between the history of diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia (p>0.05). In conclusion, snoring increases oxygen desaturation, time required for extubation, and the length of stay in hospital in patients scheduled for coronary artery bypass graft surgery.