Emay pulse oximeter

[KatnapZ]

If anyone could lead me to a site, or to a worksheet where I might be able to understand the reports generated by the pulse oximeter-that would be great!! I have found a lot of information on AHI and not as much on the ODI- except that you should be checked for sleep apnea. My husband's AHI is usually less than 1 with his CPAP. He has been using CPAP therapy for almost 20 years with success. 9 months ago he was very ill with Covid pneumonia and has been on supplemental oxygen- 4 liters at night. After Covid, we consulted his sleep physician and he thought an average of 93 is fine at night (higher elevation). Initially, I just checked him every couple of hours to see where he was at and tritiated the level. We recently bought the Emay so I didn't have to worry about where it was the nights I didn't check. Should we be concerned with all the time under 93? I am probably worrying about nothing but here are 3 examples - the desaturations average only a couple minutes each but there are so many. If I had some other information to compare to- it might help me understand this- Thanks!!
one night the average was 92- ranges from 98-85 with a total of 3.9 /hr ODI 4% total 23, 10.8 at ODI 3% total 64
another average was 91- 98-85 7.8/hr ODI 4% total 50, 17.7 at ODI 3% total114
another 92 98-81 7/hr ODI 4% total 49, 15.9 at ODI 3% total 111
another

[Pugsy]

Given your husband's history with Covid and complications I strongly urge that you report your findings to his doctor and let the doctor make final determination since he is still on the added O2.

What is your husband's report on how he is feeling in general? How is he sleeping?

As to the results....a lot of it depends on how long someone spends below the target saturation. There's always going to be a few desaturations in general just from going from the awake state to the asleep state.
Also these fingertip pulse oximeters can have some false low readings from loss of contact. Those are called artifacts.
We don't know if some of the relatively short epsiodes that might be getting flagged are loss of contact artifacts or not.

Does this oximeter also offer a graph of the changes in O2 levels? Looking at the graphs themselves is often easier to get an idea just how significant the desats might be.

[KatnapZ]

thanks! I am sending his sleep Dr the graphs and maybe he will feel differently? His PA said they looked good- I am confused for sure. I think Covid has really changed things and they - pulmonologist and sleep physicians are in the mix.
I looked at one O2 graph on the 92 average- 5% 94-100 and the rest 95% 88-93- it isn't any more sensitive than that. There is a data-generated report but goes by seconds - so it is very long. The desaturations are often a minute or so but can be 30-60 minutes the whole night.
He is not yet -or maybe won't get fully healed, waiting on time. His sleep is good some nights, other nights interrupted by a painful back- surgery soon. No narcotics- which I worry about after the surgery with the slower respiration. This was why I wanted a study done before- maybe I better see if I can find a Dr to do a real one.
I will try to figure out how to send the pdf pictures later today-thanks!

[Pugsy]

Usually when we see desats come and go within a minute or so they are quite often loss of contact artifacts.
Real blood oxygen levels don't change that quickly.
Real desats will go down rather slowly and then up rather slowly.
We just don't desat that quickly....when I see a desat to 85% and right back up to 95% within a minute or two I think artifact first.

Now those 30 to 60 minute changes you see...are probably real but unless it drops a lot more than 3 to 4 % it probably isn't all that alarming. After all it is normal to drop as much as 4% or so just from sleep in general because our respirations are usually less in both frequency and depth of the breath.

[KatnapZ]

Thanks, the help and reassurance was greatly appreciated. I was able to reach his Dr and they are making some changes to the machine, I believe raising the pressure range. They want me to send reports again after a week with the changes and they will review them.