System One Resistance Control?

I've read all I can find about Resistance Control, and I'm still not certain I understand exactly what it is supposed to do.

I know it has to do with the vent rate of each individual mask, and that each setting is essentially for a different range of mask vents (which Respironics won't release, but that's another thread). But does it increase the flow rate, or the pressure? Is it necessary?

I tried turning mine off completely last night for the first time. It felt more comfortable as I was falling asleep, but I had trouble getting up this morning, and the numbers showed it... I had a large number of vibratory snores through the night. Lots of snoring = lots of RERAs.

Just wondering if anyone can explain a little more about what Resistance Control does and others' experiences with it.

Thanks!

I have the same questions as you do but no answers. I turned to 0 for 3 nights but did have more VS and more RERAs, as you did.

I'm wondering if the people who use Resmed machines and are used to masks settings, can help here.

I think I'm going to take your experience and give up my experimentation. I was going to try it again since one night does not a trend make... Thinking it's not worth the lack of rest.

Thank you for sharing that! Would really love more info also. It's almost like they (Respironics) can't explain what it does. There's very little information on it out there. And what I can find isn't very clear.

I have had my System one machine for less than a week and I find the resistance feature confusing when using another manufacturers mask.

I use a nasal Zest mask and have set the resistance at X1 and in another month or so I will try it at 0

According to a review here done by an RT chap - he says:

For those who use a Philips Respironics CPAP mask, the new System One Resistance Control is a new feature that compensates for different resistance levels the the different masks produce to once again improve patient comfort and compliance. This technology was only noticeable if you continue to have issues with the perceptions of increased resistance while using a CPAP. Being a long time CPAP user, this was not particularly important but I can see the benefits it may provide to new CPAP users and patients who continue to struggle with this problem due to higher pressure settings. (If you use a mask from another manufacturer, this technology should be turned off)

http://www.clinicalsleep.com/product-re ... PAP-Review

we have discussed this issue several times.
In my case, I am using Resmed Swift FX (small pillow). In terms of vent rate, the Swift FX has similar vent rate with Respironics Opti-Life.

So what i did is check the Resistance Control setting of Opti-life small size pillow which is X4 and then set my PR Sys 1 RC settings at X4.

So far so good and it is a more pleasant experience. I am now very lucky to be able to buy through Craiglist an Opti-Life last week and am now testing this vs Swift FX...

not as nice as Swift FX but much better than using a full face or hybrid mask

This doesn't tell me a whole lot, but then I don't have one of those machines.

http://www.healthcare.philips.com/main/ ... ontrol.wpd

From the user manual:

SYSTEM ONE resistance ( ) - This setting allows you to adjust the level of air pressure relief based on the specific Respironics mask. Each Respironics mask may have a “System One” resistance control setting which will appear next to the symbol (ex. X3). Contact your home care provider if you cannot find this resistance setting for your mask. If your provider has locked the resistance setting into place, you can view the setting but cannot change it, and the screen will display a lock symbol. If your provider has disabled resistance, you will not see this setting.

And, then I found this:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=48737&p=445422&hili ... rt#p445422


Den

From a past correspondence with Respironics, I had received the settings for Resistance Control (attached below). I had understood it to be leak compensation which the machine uses for leakage reporting - therefore should not affect quality of sleep at any setting. Respironis were neither able to provide the settings for masks of other manufacturers nor would they provide the graphs of the leak compensation so that an educated user could compare them with other masks venting graphs and use the correct settings. I have since disabled Resistance Control on my machine.





Sham

Thanks all, for the great responses. I've seen most of this before, but I still can't quite figure out what it all means.

I think my issue is that I don't like the way the mask "rises and falls" with AFlex on... Upon exhale it seals to my face, upon inhale the pressure bumps up and pushes the mask away from my face, often causing leaks. According to the info here (http://www.healthcare.philips.com/main/ ... ontrol.wpd), Resistance Control would contribute to that. Also according to that information, it manipulates pressure (not flow), but it doesn't say what info it bases its manipulations on (exhaust is the assumption).

(If you use a mask from another manufacturer, this technology should be turned off)

Seems like that may be case. Maybe I should turn it off for a few more nights and gather more data before I decide I need it. Could have been just a bad night (referencing my statement above). I was very comfortable with it off before I went to sleep (no "rise and fall" effect).

In my case, I am using Resmed Swift FX (small pillow). In terms of vent rate, the Swift FX has similar vent rate with Respironics Opti-Life.

So what i did is check the Resistance Control setting of Opti-life small size pillow which is X4 and then set my PR Sys 1 RC settings at X4.

It seems like the higher the setting, the more the rise and fall occurs. I had a FullLife and a ComfortGel Nasal before I settled on my Liberty. Both of those are listed as X1 in the chart (which is how my DME set it). I hadn't changed it until recently. Bumped it up a bit since I can't find vent rates for PR masks, but hated it. I haven't looked up the vent rates for my PR masks, but the Average Leak shown in EncoreViewer shows the Liberty to be about 10 L/min higher. Would be nice if PR would make vent rates more readily available. They don't put them on their web site (so called "Spec Sheets" only list replacement part numbers, no data), and they won't tell you what they are. They're required to put it in the literature that accompanies their products, however.

Maybe we need to start a thread just for that purpose... scan and post the data sheets that came with your PR masks for comparison purposes... Hmmm...

Each Respironics mask may have a “System One” resistance control setting which will appear next to the symbol (ex. X3).

I read that too... maybe they're planning on doing that in the future. Neither my FullLife or Comfortgel, both acquired in the last three months had them. That table is the ONLY info going on that...

I had understood it to be leak compensation which the machine uses for leakage reporting - therefore should not affect quality of sleep at any setting.

I'd love to find this out, then I can just quit worrying about it. My EncoreViewer output seems unaffected by the setting, however. Maybe it affects something in EncorePro... Who knows?

I've got an A.W.A.K.E. meeting tonight (it's great living in a college town with a research hospital!). I'm hoping to get some of these questions answered. I've been told this chapter routinely invites manufacturer's reps to the meetings, so maybe I can corner one and get some answers!

For now, I'm going to turn it off for a week and compare data.

Thanks again all!

wil - I would certainly be interested if you are able to get any more information on this from a PR representative tonight at the meeting!

Would you also ask what setting he/she would suggest for a non PR mask? Thanks!

I certainly will... Will ask specifically about the Swift FX for you (assuming there's someone there to ask). This will be my first meeting...

Thanks so much! Yes, I am using the Swift FX so info on that would be great although I doubt he/she would have any info on other brands of masks. Actually, information of some othe Respironics masks would be good as well. I use the Simplicity sometimes. It is a Respironics mask that has been around for quite a while. I didn't see in listed on the Resistance Control listing that we got.

We'll just hope there is someone there to ask!

Even if they do have information about other masks, I doubt they'd share. Seems to be PR's MO. I'm really hoping to learn enough about how it works to obtain a general way to apply the setting to all masks (find out what exactly it does), find out if vent rates are the primary indicator of the needed setting, and maybe, just maybe, get ranges for each setting (ie - X1 is for masks with a vent rate of x-y L/min, X2 for z-a, etc...).

Anywho, I'll share what I can get as soon as I can get it.

That would be great!

Thanks!

Unfortunately, no truly solid information. I was able to talk to several people who know more than I, but no one with true engineering background...

I was able to learn that Resistance Control DOES change the pressure wave form, meaning it is NOT for data tracking purposes only (as I had suspected). It can not be compared to the way the S9 uses mask information to subtract baseline vent rates from leak tracking. PR does not attempt to compete with this feature on the S9 for philosophical reasons. PR believes it is better to report a true leak rate and use that information along with the knowledge of the mask being used than to look at altered leak rates.

Resistance Control CAN amplify the effect of mask movement caused by AFlex or CFlex(+). By exaggerating the amplitude in order to make up the amplitude lost by the mask the rise and fall of the mask on inhalation/exhalation (respectively) will be exaggerated also. Not to get too technical, the mask moves more because of pressure variation when resistance control is on.

I was not able to gather any information on how the settings are determined. I would still assume it has to do with vent rates. Full face and nasal masks are all listed as X1, pillows are listed X2-X4 depending on size. Smaller pillows rate higher settings (Petite pillows = X4). Without having access to PR's vent rates, this is impossible to determine with any certainty.

The one thing everyone I spoke to agreed upon: This is a COMFORT setting. Ideally it should NOT have an impact on your sleep therapy results, other than helping one remain compliant. I am more comfortable with it off, therefore I will test it for several days with it off and check my EncoreViewer output to see if there's a significant change. This is all I can suggest with any certainty.

Hawthorne... From what I've seen and the questions I asked yesterday, I can't really tell you anything with any certainty. I would recommend X3 or so if you're comfortable. That's the one thing everyone agreed on, use what's comfortable. For me that's not using it at all...

wil - thanks for getting at least that information!

I had it set at X2 the last 2 nights, given that I am using a Swift FX nasal pillows mask with medium pillows and the Respironics Optilife (Respironics pillows mask - X2 for medium) should be at least similar. I have my A-Flex set at 1 and, since they both are comfort features, according to the person or persons you spoke to last night, it might be worth experimenting with both the flex and the resistance control features.

I tried it at 0 for 2 nights and THOUGHT it was affecting my data but that's really not enough of a sampling to go by anyway and the "experts" last night say it does not affect data.

I may try turning it off again and leave it for a week maybe. I am reluctant to play with the A-Flex since I really got comfortable with it set at 1 when I was using my M Series auto. I'm not sure, of course, whether A-Flex on the M Series and A-Flex on the System One are quite the same.

So we will both do a little experimenting. I'd like to keep comparing experiences with this. You and I seem to be the only ones interested in experimenting with it a bit but I don't want to go to PMing in case someone might give some more insight on this thread in the future.

Thanks again!