How Bad Is My OSA?

[drewherndon]

Being a recently inducted member to the Royal Order of Hose Heads, I am truly thankful for this forum. I have gleaned a lot of information on OSA in a very short time. having said that, I have not found a post that helps me determine how bad my OSA actually is. Here are the numbers from my sleep study:

AHI: 46.3 per hour
RDI: 66.3 (Non-REM) & 61.1 (REM)per hour
N1: 44.8%
N2: 46.7%
N3: 0%
REM: 8.5%
Oxygen Saturation (lowest): 79%

My diagnosis was severe OSA. How bad are my numbers?

Again, thanks for everyones help on this forum. Take care!

[secret agent girl]

.

[Autopapdude]

An AHI of over 30 is considered severe. Yours is 46.3. Also, your o2 saturation is below 80%. That is severe.

"Severe apnea. Severe apnea is defined as more than 30 episodes of apnea or reduced airflow to the lungs every hour with no more than 79% oxygen saturation. Symptoms may include drowsiness or falling asleep during activities that require active attention, such as eating, talking, driving, or walking. These symptoms may cause severe problems with work or social functioning."

[rested gal]

The poll SecretAgentGirl mentioned is here:

POLL: What was your AHI at your diagnostic sleep study? topic started by Scarlet834 - November 20, 2009
viewtopic.php?p=421524#p421524

[scrapper]

Whether your OSA is mild or severe, you treat it the same way.........and it's just as important to seek and comply with treatment. I agree, your numbers do indeed indicate severe osa. You're in the right place! Welcome

[drewherndon]

An AHI of over 30 is considered severe. Yours is 46.3. Also, your o2 saturation is below 80%. That is severe.

"Severe apnea. Severe apnea is defined as more than 30 episodes of apnea or reduced airflow to the lungs every hour with no more than 79% oxygen saturation. Symptoms may include drowsiness or falling asleep during activities that require active attention, such as eating, talking, driving, or walking. These symptoms may cause severe problems with work or social functioning."

The last line describes me to a "T". My OSA has led to my recent bout of unemployment, but 2010 is looking better already.

[LinkC]

I've always been puzzled by the standard scale:

Mild: AHI = 5-15
Moderate: AHI = 15-30
Severe: AHI >30

I know many people with titrated AHI in the 90s, and even 100s. The scale seems weighted to put the majority into "Severe". But I'm not a doctor...nor do I play one on TV.

[Autopapdude]

I've always been puzzled by the standard scale:

Mild: AHI = 5-15
Moderate: AHI = 15-30
Severe: AHI >30

I know many people with titrated AHI in the 90s, and even 100s. The scale seems weighted to put the majority into "Severe". But I'm not a doctor...nor do I play one on TV.

_

I agree completely (how about that--we are in complete accord)!!! It seems as if the threshold of severe OSA would logically be somewhat higher, such as 50-60. The official scale seems a bit compressed towards the lower end. But then again, if it is getting people diagnosed and treated for OSA, then it is doing its job. My untreated AHI was 67 as I recall. I think I'd call 50 as the dividing point, but then again, I am also not a medical person.

[pitrow]

Just for reference,

My AHI in my study was 103 and rose to 105 during what little REM I had, and my Oxy level hit a minimum of 61%.

[LinkC]

The ad hoc poll of people here shows 72% in the "severe" category. Sheesh!

[Autopapdude]

The ad hoc poll of people here shows 72% in the "severe" category. Sheesh!

Not surprised. The majority of people here take OSA very seriously, and have worked considerably on making therapy effective, so I'd think a lot of folks would be severe cases. Also, a lot of folks here have multiple health problems that correlate with OSA.

[BlackSpinner]

I would think the "severe" level is the level where the effects start to be really dangerous - after that it is irrelevant what you call it.

Anyway the most severe level is "dead"

[Autopapdude]

Anyway the most severe level is "dead"

Yeah, that one is pretty definitive, and the AHI isn't particularly relevant.

[DoriC]

What surprises me is that so many people diagnosed as "severe" sometimes only need a low pressure to eliminate apneas and those in the "mild to moderate" range need higher pressures. I know it's a person's individual architecture but it still makes me wonder.

[LinkC]

Yeah, Dori, that's always seemed odd to me as well. Intuitively, one would think the worse the disease, the stronger the treatment. Not always so, obviously.