When to be concerned about clear airway events?

[F3adventure]

Hello,

I seem to be having quit a few clear airway events, but I am not sure what is considered safe or acceptable. I do not know how to post a screen shot or I would share that information. (I know I saw a post with instructions but I can't find it now!)

I have a bi-level S9. My EPAP is 13 and my IPAP is 17. Last nigh my AHI was 10.5 with 8.47 of that coming from clear airway. Hypopnea was .83 apnea was .48 and obstructive was .72.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[robysue]

If the CAI is consistently running above 5.0 and your OAI and HI are tiny for several weeks, it's time to call the sleep doc and report the problem and insist on an appointment.

If it's a one night fluke, write it off as aliens, in Pugsy's wonderful language.

[Mary Z]

F3adventure, what is your one month and six month avererage AHI and CA events?

[JohnBFisher]

If the CAI is consistently running above 5.0 and your OAI and HI are tiny for several weeks, it's time to call the sleep doc and report the problem and insist on an appointment.

If it's a one night fluke, write it off as aliens, in Pugsy's wonderful language.

Exactly!

[F3adventure]

Thank you for your replies!

I have only had the S9 since April 19th so I don't have a lot of data, and what I do have is not very consistent. Here are the numbers I have been able to record so far. I used my back up S8 while camping this weekend so I don't have Fri/Sat data.

I would appreciate your thoughts on these numbers. Thanks in advance!

4/19/2012
Hypopnea 1.24
Apnea 0.41
Obstructive 0.83
Clear Airway 2.07

4/20/2012
Hypopnea 1.5
Apnea 0.12
Obstructive 0.75
Clear Airway 2.74

4/21/2012
Hypopnea 3.95
Apnea 0
Obstructive 2.34
Clear Airway 0.59

4/22/2012
Hypopnea 1.2
Apnea 0
Obstructive 1.09
Clear Airway 0.98

4/23/2012
Hypopnea 0.49
Apnea 0.12
Obstructive 1.82
Clear Airway 3.16

4/24/2012
Hypopnea 0.51
Apnea 0
Obstructive 0.77
Clear Airway 0.51

4/25/2012
Hypopnea 0.81
Apnea 0
Obstructive 2.03
Clear Airway 1.49

4/26/2012
Hypopnea 1.16
Apnea 0
Obstructive 2.2
Clear Airway 1.03

4/27/2012
Hypopnea 1.08
Apnea 0
Obstructive 2.15
Clear Airway 1.61

4/28/2012
Hypopnea NO DATA
Apnea
Obstructive
Clear Airway

4/29/2012
Hypopnea 0.89
Apnea 0.13
Obstructive 2.42
Clear Airway 2.3

4/30/2012
Hypopnea 0.58
Apnea 0
Obstructive 1.28
Clear Airway 4.66

5/1/2012
Hypopnea 1.14
Apnea 0
Obstructive 1.01
Clear Airway 5.56

5/2/2012
Hypopnea 0.83
Apnea 0.48
Obstructive 0.72
Clear Airway 8.47

5/3/2012
Hypopnea 0.36
Apnea 0
Obstructive 0.6
Clear Airway 3.97

[Zzzzzzzzzzz...]

I recently went through the same thing... once I managed my leaks, my CA's and AHI went WAY down. How are your leaks? Start there. Incidentally, my CA's were typically at sleep onset and prior to awakening... as reported by my Sleepyhead data. I slept pretty arousal free during the night.

Z

[Blindrage]

You may also want to get an overnight Oxygen study. That will show how low the oxygen levels in your blood is going during these periods.

[F3adventure]

Thanks again for your replies.

My leaks do seem a little erratic. I have a hard time judging since I don't really know what an acceptable leak number is and Sleepyhead seems to auto scale those numbers so I have a hard time comparing day to day since the scale is always changing. Any ideas here?

I would like to get another overnight study but i am still paying off last years so that is not too likely this year!

One thing I have noticed, a majority of my events 65% to 75% of my events (CA, HA, OA) tend to happen in the last hour or so of my sleep. If I just got up an hour earlier my numbers would be pretty good, but am not sure i would actually benefit from getting less sleep.

It seems like the more I learn the less I know... I am very appreciative of this forum and the great people who frequent this board.

[Pugsy]

Using ResMed machine....the leak number you want to stay below is 24 L/min
No matter what the scale...that is the number.
Short lived spikes to and above the 24 L/min area might be mask adjustment spikes..not the end of the world to have those.
But long term....keep as far below the 24 L/min line as you can get.

[F3adventure]

Thought I'd post an update for those following the thread or those who may come across it in a later search...

I am still working to get me leaks under control, they are slightly under 24 L/min pretty consistently.

I reduced my IPAP pressure from 17 to 16 and the CA's have completely stopped. Not one since I made the adjustment four nights ago. My AHI is still a little high, ranging from 5 to 7 the last four nights.

Even though my AHI stayed basically the same, I am much happier/less stressed. For some crazy reason the thought of clear airway events really bothered me.

My next move to lower my AHI will be to try to get my leaks down without my mask chewing off my face!

Thanks to all who offered their thoughts!

[Suzjohnson]

Good for you and best of luck with the flesh eating mask thing! Thanks for the update!

Suz