usefullness of CPAP Machine Data

Sgt_Pepper · Post by **Sgt_Pepper** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 4:18 pm

A question for those of you who use software to read the smart/data card from you xPAP machine .... How useful is the information you get from the software? Does it genuinely help with fine tuning your therapy ... answering questions .. or do you do it more out of an interest as to what's going on? I'm going through some excessive sleepiness issues as I've mentioned before. I had a re-titration study done (haven't got a copy of teh report yet) and I have a follow up with the PA in a few weeks.

I ask for a few reasons .. one is to decide if I want to pursue getting some kind of reporting capability out of my machine. I currently have a ResMed S8 Elite - which works fine but I have noticed the sources for the software (licensed official sources and card reader are there but few and far between. If the information is genuinely useful for troubleshooting and fine tuning therapy, then I need to decide if I wish to pursue a newer more capable machine. I've noticed the newer machines use an SD type card (The Resmed S8 uses a proprietary 'smart card'). I looked at the specs for some of the more modern offerings from ResMed sand Respironics and it seems to offer a lot more in the way of data. I'm wondering how accurate and useful the information is. The PA at the sleep docs office wanted to write me a script for a new machine last time I was there. I have long distance access to a friend who was a long term sleep tech (before being seduced to the dark side of management) and would be able to help me understand anything I can't figure out for myself.

So to make a short story long, I'm trying to decide

If I want to pursue getting some kind of data reporting out of my machine beyond what I can see by combinations of machine keystrokes documented in the manual.
and do I want to pursue a newer more capable machine - that may not require a separate card reader.

I would appreciate hearing from any of you who use the reporting capabilities of your machine.

Thanks!

LSAT · Post by **LSAT** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 5:30 pm

I have an S8 the I only use occasionally to check my data. Several months ago I took the Smartcard to my DME...For $25 they read the card and gave me the printouts I was looking for. (I did not get mt machines from this DME). Have you checked with your DME?

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 5:42 pm

Sgt_Pepper wrote:A question for those of you who use software to read the smart/data card from you xPAP machine .... How useful is the information you get from the software? Does it genuinely help with fine tuning your therapy ... answering questions .. or do you do it more out of an interest as to what's going on? I'm going through some excessive sleepiness issues as I've mentioned before. I had a re-titration study done (haven't got a copy of teh report yet) and I have a follow up with the PA in a few weeks.

I ask for a few reasons .. one is to decide if I want to pursue getting some kind of reporting capability out of my machine. I currently have a ResMed S8 Elite - which works fine but I have noticed the sources for the software (licensed official sources and card reader are there but few and far between. If the information is genuinely useful for troubleshooting and fine tuning therapy, then I need to decide if I wish to pursue a newer more capable machine. I've noticed the newer machines use an SD type card (The Resmed S8 uses a proprietary 'smart card'). I looked at the specs for some of the more modern offerings from ResMed sand Respironics and it seems to offer a lot more in the way of data. I'm wondering how accurate and useful the information is. The PA at the sleep docs office wanted to write me a script for a new machine last time I was there. I have long distance access to a friend who was a long term sleep tech (before being seduced to the dark side of management) and would be able to help me understand anything I can't figure out for myself.

So to make a short story long, I'm trying to decide
If I want to pursue getting some kind of data reporting out of my machine beyond what I can see by combinations of machine keystrokes documented in the manual.
and do I want to pursue a newer more capable machine - that may not require a separate card reader.

I would appreciate hearing from any of you who use the reporting capabilities of your machine.

Thanks!

If you are going to pursue a newer machine ... I would not bother getting the software/card reader for your S8. You can use the S8 as a backup and get all the data you need for monitoring and then use the newer machine w/ SW and reader for titrating or tweaking your therapy.

RandyJ · Post by **RandyJ** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 6:08 pm

You can get an original Resmed card reader on eBay for around $50 and the software is free. If you are thinking of keeping the machine for a while you could consider it...

I think the S8 offers quite a bit of data, at least enough to gauge effectiveness of therapy. Of course, the S9 gives you a lot more data but it comes down to what you'll need to spend and if that is what you want to do right now.

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 6:15 pm

But he has an Elite (CPAP).

There is not much value in software and reader for CPAP data ... the pressure data will be a straight line and he can get AHI, AI, HI, and leak data off the machine's menu

He should wait to get an APAP or better machine before spending on software and reader.

RandyJ · Post by **RandyJ** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 6:39 pm

DreamStalker wrote:But he has an Elite (CPAP).

There is not much value in software and reader for CPAP data ... the pressure data will be a straight line and he can get AHI, AI, HI, and leak data off the machine's menu

He should wait to get an APAP or better machine before spending on software and reader.

Are you saying that someone on straight cpap has no use for waveform data? That makes no sense to me.

The onscreen data on the S8 by itself has questionable value, in my opinion, because the S8s scored hypopneas so aggressively. I would still want the waveform data to look at, especially if leaks were ever an issue.

An S9 would offer central apnea data, but it all depends on what the OP wants to spend...

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 6:46 pm

RandyJ wrote:
DreamStalker wrote:But he has an Elite (CPAP).

There is not much value in software and reader for CPAP data ... the pressure data will be a straight line and he can get AHI, AI, HI, and leak data off the machine's menu

He should wait to get an APAP or better machine before spending on software and reader.
Are you saying that someone on straight cpap has no use for waveform data? That makes no sense to me.

The onscreen data on the S8 by itself has questionable value, in my opinion, because the S8s scored hypopneas so aggressively. I would still want the waveform data to look at, especially if leaks were ever an issue.

An S9 would offer central apnea data, but it all depends on what the OP wants to spend...

Well I suppose if an S8 Elite offered waveform data and it was important enough then maybe yes it might make sense.

However when I had an S8 Elite back in 2006, it did not offer waveform data ... maybe they recalled the machines (again ) to add that feature, I dunno, haven't kept up with ResMed machines I must honestly admit. I do agree that the menu data may be questionable but that is why I suggested that the Elite be used as a backup machine or maybe travel ... and not for titrating or tweaking.

RandyJ · Post by **RandyJ** » Tue Jul 24, 2012 7:13 pm

You are right, there is no flow data like the S9. I meant that you can still see leak data plotted in the waveform as it corresponds to events.

robysue · Post by **robysue** » Wed Jul 25, 2012 7:54 am

While the S8 has no wave form data, downloading the S8 Elite data is still worthwhile in my opinion. It does have all the other "detailed" data graphs. And hence it does allow you to see when the events are being scored each night. If I recall correctly, each of the apneas will also be marked with a flag indicating its length, which is also useful. It also gives you the full picture concerning the leak data, which really cannot be captured in a single on-board number in my humble opinion. And if you are having problems, knowing when the events occur and knowing what the leak line really looks like does help you find a starting place for potential tweaks to improve therapy.

BasementDwellingGeek · Post by **BasementDwellingGeek** » Wed Jul 25, 2012 8:07 am

Will insurance help with a new machine? if so go for it. The extra data is worthwhile.

chunkyfrog · Post by **chunkyfrog** » Wed Jul 25, 2012 8:42 am

For the time being, you can view AHI and leak data on the LCD.
Leak, especially, can tell you if your fit is consistent all night;
the AHI, although not definitive, will give clues on how effective your therapy has been.
(Note, if leak is too high, data may not be reliable.)

Pugsy · Post by **Pugsy** » Wed Jul 25, 2012 9:01 am

Right now the only card reader on Ebay is $100. I have seen them as low as $75 but not any lower. All from Israel it seems.
If my LCD data showed consistently a low AHI, low leaks and I was sleeping great and feeling quite decent....then I wouldn't likely be in the market for the card reader to evaluate therapy. Not at $100. I would be more inclined to put that money towards the S9 but that is just me. Now if I was having problems and no way I could find (Craigslist or whatever) a S9 then I might do the card reader. If no problems and feeling great then I don't know that seeing more graphs would accomplish anything.

Excessive sleepiness is a problem though. In all honesty if it were me I would be wanting the latest technology machine. I would want the availability of the data that the new technology machines offer. Centrals, snores and such. Not just because of the easy software use but because of the added data that is not gathered on the S8. That way all possible culprits can be seen and/or eliminated as a potential source of the excessive sleepiness.

RandyJ · Post by **RandyJ** » Wed Jul 25, 2012 10:14 am

Pugsy wrote:Right now the only card reader on Ebay is $100.

Wow, they must be getting rarer... there was one a few weeks ago for $60: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=79804&p=726099#p726099

xenablue · Post by **xenablue** » Wed Jul 25, 2012 10:29 am

I use 3 different masks and the data absolutely shows me which one works better for leaks, AHI etc., amongst other information.

What convinced me 100% that the data is vital, is my 2 visits with the neurologist in the months after starting CPAP. I printed out all the data I had from Day 1 and she was so thrilled to be able to sit down with me and go over the information to see exactly what areas I needed to work on to improve (leaks), even though my AHI never went over 0.9. She explained what all the terms mean so I can monitor my own therapy (even though she knew I'd learned it already from here), but she wanted to make sure I understood what I was seeing so she could be confident CPAP therapy would be maximised by me.

She said there was no need to see her on a regular basis - only if I was having any problems - and I can call her at any time with questions.

Yup, a data-capable machine is definitely useful for a bunch of reasons. An oximeter is also a handy addition.

Cheers,
xena

archangle · Post by **archangle** » Wed Jul 25, 2012 12:18 pm

Good data is a matter of life and death.

Watch your local craigslist and find an S9 AutoSet or Elite or a PRS1 Auto or Pro. It might take a few months, but you'll probably eventually find one for sale for $300 or so.

It's good to have a backup machine anyway, and the airflow info is a quantum leap above what you can get from the S8.

usefullness of CPAP Machine Data

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