Weird pulse oximeter reading

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
User avatar
curems
Posts: 179
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2015 9:06 am
Location: New Jersey

Weird pulse oximeter reading

Post by curems » Sun Oct 04, 2015 7:51 pm

Just because I'm the curious type - I used the CMS50D+ pulse oximeter. When I saw a gap in the graph I thought it was simply a case of the oximeter coming off or somehow not getting a good connection. But I really got confused when I saw that when it started recording again, it was showing a pulse rate of 154 for ~30 secs and SpO2 of 76 for ~40 secs. In my home sleep study my pulse didn't go above 92 and SpO2 didn't go below 87, and on my titration study my pulse didn't go above 89 and my SpO2 didn't go below 93 so I really wasn't concerned about it at all (just curious, as I said).

I'm going to try it again tonight but wondered if any of you veterans had any thoughts about this.

Image

_________________
Machine: PR System One REMStar 60 Series Auto CPAP Machine
Mask: DreamWear Nasal CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: PR S1 60 Series Auto CPAP, using SleepyHead software

User avatar
curems
Posts: 179
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2015 9:06 am
Location: New Jersey

Re: Weird pulse oximeter reading

Post by curems » Mon Oct 05, 2015 3:17 am

This morning my report is saying my minimum SpO2 was 53 but it isn't showing in the graph. I checked the software that came with the oximeter and it says my minimum was 93. (Unfortunately, I couldn't get the previous night data uploaded in that software because a slight twitch caused me to start a new recording before I got to it.) Am I just seeing some sort of glitch with the software? Here's an image from last night:

Image

_________________
Machine: PR System One REMStar 60 Series Auto CPAP Machine
Mask: DreamWear Nasal CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: PR S1 60 Series Auto CPAP, using SleepyHead software

User avatar
SGearhart
Posts: 434
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2014 8:54 am
Location: Georgia

Re: Weird pulse oximeter reading

Post by SGearhart » Mon Oct 05, 2015 6:59 am

The 53 looks like an artifact and is common. Sleepyhead picks the lowest value it can find in the data for the lowest reading and doesn't filter the data. Hitting, thumping, or rapid movement of the sensing unit will produce artifacts. Since your unit and sensor type design is an all-in-one, you might be pressing the record function a little too aggressive for the sensor's liking. Your levels look normal and I wouldn't worry about this since you median and 95 Percentile values are excellent.

Good luck!

_________________
Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments: CMS-50F & 50IW - SleepyHead 1.0.0-Beta

User avatar
palerider
Posts: 32300
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 5:43 pm
Location: Dallas(ish).

Re: Weird pulse oximeter reading

Post by palerider » Mon Oct 05, 2015 1:45 pm

the 53 is right at the start... see the line?

the first artifact looks like you shifted into some position and it took a moment to reestablish the baseline.

_________________
Mask: Bleep DreamPort CPAP Mask Solution
Additional Comments: S9 VPAP Auto
Get OSCAR

Accounts to put on the foe list: dataq1, clownbell, gearchange, lynninnj, mper!?, DreamDiver, Geer1, almostadoctor, sleepgeek, ajack, stom, mogy, D.H., They often post misleading, timewasting stuff.

User avatar
curems
Posts: 179
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2015 9:06 am
Location: New Jersey

Re: Weird pulse oximeter reading

Post by curems » Mon Oct 05, 2015 8:44 pm

Thanks for the responses! I'm not worried about it, just curious (I'm having far more trouble with my breathing awake than asleep!)
palerider wrote:the 53 is right at the start... see the line?
I see what looks like a start point of ~53 on the pulse but not on the SpO2. I don't see anything near that on the SpO2, looks more like the 93 that the other software reported than a low of 53.

_________________
Machine: PR System One REMStar 60 Series Auto CPAP Machine
Mask: DreamWear Nasal CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: PR S1 60 Series Auto CPAP, using SleepyHead software