| Name of the Instrument/Tool | Berlin Questionnaire (BQ) |
| First Description |
Netzer NC, Stoohs RA, Netzer CM, Clark K, Strohl KP. Using the Berlin Questionnaire to identify patients at risk for the sleep apnea syndrome. Ann Intern Med. 1999 Oct 5;131(7):485-91. |
| Year | 1999 |
| Domains | |
| Concept of constructs | Sleep |
| Population/Disease | Generic |
| Originally developed for | --- |
| Other rheumatic diseases where can be applied (only if validated) |
Behçet's Syndrome, Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Osteoarthritis (OA) |
| Additional population with no rheumatic diseases |
Yes OSA |
| Language: Originally published in | English |
| Available in Language | Korean, Persian, Chinese, Thai, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Greek, Arabic |
| REFERENCE IDENTIFICATION | |
| Author/s | Netzer NC, Stoohs RA, Netzer CM, Clark K, Strohl KP |
| Title | Using the Berlin Questionnaire to identify patients at risk for the sleep apnea syndrome |
| Journal | Ann Intern Med |
| Year | 1999 |
| Vol | 131 |
| Num | 7 |
| Pages | 485-91 |
| Country | Germany |
| Language | English |
| Other references of interest | |
| Link | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28599983/ |
| Brief Description |
Validity of the Berlin questionnaire in detecting obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
| Link | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28255917/ |
| Brief Description |
Clinical Utility of Berlin Questionnaire in Comparison to Polysomnography in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea |
| Link | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33091275/ |
| Brief Description |
Measures of Sleep in Rheumatologic Diseases: Sleep Quality Patient‐Reported Outcomes in Rheumatologic Diseases |
| Instrument/Tool Translations References | |
| Link | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21977066/ |
| Brief Description |
Development of Arabic version of Berlin questionnaire to identify obstructive sleep apnea at risk patients |
| Link | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24910253/ |
| Brief Description |
Preliminary validity and reliability of a Thai Berlin questionnaire in stroke patients |
| Link | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23347772/ |
| Brief Description |
Translation and validation of Berlin questionnaire in primary health care in Greece |
| DEVELOPER CONTACT INFORMATION | |
| Correspondence to | Nikolaus C Netze |
| nikinetzer@yahoo.com | |
| Address | Hermann Buhl Institute for Hypoxia and Sleep Medicine Research, University Innsbruck, Austria, Bad Aibling, Germany |
| Website | --- |
| Available | --- |
| Links | --- |
| DESCRIPTION OF THE INSTRUMENT | |
| Type Of Measure | Questionnaire |
| Brief Description |
The BQ is a questionnaire consisting of three categories related to the risk of having OSA: snoring, daytime sleepiness, and hypertension. Used to screen for sleep apnea, categorizing individuals as high or low risk for OSA |
| Number of Items | 10. Additional information asked includes height and weight (for body mass index [BMI] calculation), age, and sex |
| Range | --- |
| Responses options/scale |
Yes Four questions have the following options: “yes,” “no,” or “don’t know.” Six questions ask about frequency, ranging from “never or nearly never” to “nearly every day.” |
| Developed for | --- |
| PRACTICAL APPLICATION | |
| Method of administration | --- |
| Recommendations to score |
There are three categories, and scoring differs for each category and their component items, which may be scored on a 0 to 1 or 0 to 2 scale. Category 1 is positive if the total score is 2 or more points for items 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6; category 2 is positive if the total score is 2 or more points for items 7, 8, or 9, and category 3 is positive if item 10 is present (hypertension) or BMI is greater than 30 kg/m2 |
| Score Interpretation | The respondent is considered high risk for OSA if two or three categories are positive and is considered low risk if zero or one category is positive |
| Cut-off points | --- |
| Cut-off points applied to | --- |
| Smallest detectable change if described | --- |
| Smallest detectable change applied to | --- |
| Completion time by the patient | 2-3 minutes |
| Scoring time by the assessor | <1 minutes |
| Training to score | Not necessary |
| Strengths | Useful in clinical practice & research |
| Limitations | --- |
| OTHER COMMENTS | |
| Other Comments |
The BQ is a short and feasible survey used to screen for OSA. In rheumatology, the BQ has been used as a surrogate measure for OSA or alongside other sleep PRO measures to assess sleep quality |