need help interpreting data!

[toryg51]

Hi, everybody!
Inordinately proud that I was able to actually figure out how to get into my machine stats!!! Unfortunately, that was about the end of it for being able to post it here. I was able to copy this:
ResMed
S9 AutoSet
Mode: CPAP 8cmH2O
Date Sleep Wake Hours
9/22/2013 18:58 04:16 09:18:04
AHIApnea / Hypopnea Index 3.44
HypopneaHypopnea 0.11
ApneaUnspecified Apnea 0.11
ObstructiveObstructive Apnea 1.18
Clear AirwayClear Airway Apnea 2.04

Event Breakdown


Statistics
Channel Min Med 95% Max
PressurePressure (cmH20)
W-Avg: 7.98 5.60 8.00 8.00 8.00
EPAPExpiratory Pressure (cmH20)
W-Avg: 5.98 4.00 6.00 6.00 6.00
Minute Vent.Minute Ventilation (L/min)
W-Avg: 5.81 0.00 5.50 8.62 16.84
Resp. RateRespiratory Rate (breaths/min)
W-Avg: 15.21 0.00 15.20 20.00 30.00
Flow LimitFlow Limit Graph (0-1)
W-Avg: 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.27
LeaksLeak Rate (L/min)
W-Avg: 8.68 0.00 4.80 30.00 48.00
SnoreSnore (unknown)
W-Avg: 0.04 0.00 0.04 0.08 0.18
Insp TimeInspiratory Time (seconds)
W-Avg: 1.97 0.20 1.80 3.16 6.24
Exp TimeExpiratory Time (seconds)
W-Avg: 2.07 0.04 2.06 3.16 4.70
Tidal VolumeTidal Volume (ml)
W-Avg: 393.80 0.00 360.00 680.00 1400.00

As you may remember from a previous post, it's the leaking I'm worrying about. Can someone interpret this for me? These are last night's stats. My AHI's the previous three nights (my first three nights on CPAP) were 5.09, 3.80, 2.36. which I don't think look too bad. And the leak rate has been about the same, sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more. So should I be sweating the leaks?

THANK YOU EVERYBODY - can't imagine doing this without your support!!!

[Pugsy]

The S9 machine reports excess leak only. ResMed says that they can compensate for leaks up to 24 L/min.
Look at the leak graph line...how much time is spent above 24 L/min?

In the SleepyHead tutorial I talked about how sometimes the numbers look worse than things really are so when numbers look iffy then I suggest that people evaluate the leak line itself.
viewtopic/t88983/Pugsys-PointersSleepyH ... nding.html
You might give it a glance to see if it helps you understand things a bit more easily.
Pay special attention to the leak explanation and examples.

Now any leak that wakes a person up needs to be dealt with because it disturbs sleep.
Small short lived leaks into large leak territory may not be nearly as scary as the numbers first indicate they might be.
5 to 15 minutes in large leak territory out of 7 or 8 hours of sleep and a person sleeps right through it, is not the end of the world and doesn't negate the otherwise less than large leak territory time.

[toryg51]

Thanks, Pugsy,
Jeepers, I wish I could figure out how to copy and paste that graph so you could see it. It seems like I'm in large leak territory a fair amount of time, but again, if my apneas are relatively low (which they seem to be - am I right?) maybe I should just not worry about it and keep an eye on things.

[Pugsy]

Screen shots of the detailed reports is the easiest way for us to see them
How to post them here on the forum is discussed in this thread.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=81072&p=737779#p737779

If you are spending prolonged periods of time well above the 24 L/min line then the low AHI could be from the machine not being able to sense and record properly. We need to be able to trust the data and if large leaks are going on for prolonged periods of time then we can't trust the data.