PR System One Resistance Control for Comfort or Therapy?

[cdean]

Is there evidence that Philips Respironics System One "Resistance Control" reduces AHI or is it a comfort feature? I just got a new cpap after logging 30,000 hours on my last one. So, with all the newfangled bells and whistles and the ability to do my own sleep studies at home with my new machine, I just want to focus right now on those features that improve sleep quality. I want to remove extraneous "comfort features" as I have been comfortable for years without them . . . although I do miss feeding the hamster to operate the compressor on my old cpap.
Thanks!

[Julie]

If you're referring the what's usually called EPR, to help with exhalation, it's strictly for comfort, but does contribute to better breathing and sleep.

[Pugsy]

http://www.healthcare.philips.com/us_en ... /index.wpd

I still don't know what to call it. Tried it at various settings including off at one time just to see what would happen...nothing did that was measurable anyway. Didn't feel any different to me and saw no real change beyond what would be a normal night to night variance anyway.

Respironics says if you use a non Respironics mask...the setting should be 0 which effectively turns it off.

[cdean]

Thanks for the info. My cpap came from the DME set at 1even though I'm using a Resmed mask. So now I'm setting it to 0.

I wonder if the PR System One "Resistance Control" is the '+' part of Respironics' C-flex+. I also wonder if it is just a marketing gimmick feature to differentiate their product . . . in other words a feature without a medical benefit.

I think "EPR" is a Resmed term. It seems different manufacturers create proprietary nomenclature for competitive features. I suspect "EPR" is similar to a Respironics feature like C-Flex or C-Flex+ which also seems to provide lower pressure on exhalation. It all seems like BiPAP to me . . . like a petite BiPAP.

[Pugsy]

I also wonder if it is just a marketing gimmick feature to differentiate their product .

It may just be hype but from what I have read the Resistance Control would maybe be more useful for people who use higher pressures all the time. Someone explained it a little better..more in layman's terms a while back but I can't find that thread.
I will keep looking for it...hard to do with the forum search function and I don't remember who it was that explained it.

If I find in I will post link to the thread here in your thread.

It isn't used with any of the leak calculations like the mask choice on the ResMed machines do. That I know.
From my own personal experience with .....I couldn't tell it was on when it was on and none of the settings made things "feel" any better to me and having it turned off didn't change anything either.

So how important it is realistically it might be...juries out on that one in my court.

Edit: here's the thread I was thinking of
Look for the posts from Delta Dave
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=74076

[echo]

I will keep looking for it...hard to do with the forum search function and I don't remember who it was that explained it.

Going via google search often works well. Just add "site:cpaptalk.com" to the end of the search string, and you can usually find what you're looking for quite quickly. I find the built-in search clunky to use, plus it returns multiple results even if they're on the same page (but different posts), and I find that clutters up the search result results. My 2 cents.

[old dude]

Somewhere I remember reading or hearing that if you don't use a Philips mask (which I don't) you should set the resistance to "1". That's where my machines are set and always have been, so I wouldn't know any different.

Wonder if I need to look into changing my setting? It's something I just never thought about.

[Pugsy]

Somewhere I remember reading or hearing that if you don't use a Philips mask (which I don't) you should set the resistance to "1".

In the Respironics literature it says if using a non Respironics mask..the setting should be 0 which effectively turns Resistance Control off...BUT...it doesn't hurt anything to use 1 or whatever if a person wants to. This Resistance Control feature isn't a make it or break it setting. It isn't the end of the world if it isn't "perfect".

[old dude]

Somewhere I remember reading or hearing that if you don't use a Philips mask (which I don't) you should set the resistance to "1".

In the Respironics literature it says if using a non Respironics mask..the setting should be 0 which effectively turns Resistance Control off...BUT...it doesn't hurt anything to use 1 or whatever if a person wants to. This Resistance Control feature isn't a make it or break it setting. It isn't the end of the world if it isn't "perfect".

Pugsy, if I set mine to "0" would I be likely to notice any change in breathing effort or comfort, or would it possibly change efficacy of therapy in some way?

[Pugsy]

Pugsy, if I set mine to "0" would I be likely to notice any change in breathing effort or comfort, or would it possibly change efficacy of therapy in some way?

I don't know.
I tried all the settings back when I got my first PR S1 machine...from resistance control set to 0 (off) up to 4 with my Swift FX nasal pillow mask (that was my main mask back in 2011 when I got my first PR S1) and I couldn't tell any difference anywhere with anything.
From what I have read...I think the impact of the settings might be more pronounced for people using higher pressures (in the teens) if there is going to be any impact.
If it helps prevent leaks by better optimizing the give and take due to resistance of the silicone...then the leak prevention might impact therapy and/or comfort but it would be a by product and not necessarily something that is making or breaking the deal.

Since the body really likes predictability...and you have been using a setting of 1...if you change it...even though a tiny change the resulting change to predictability might impact sleep itself but that could happen with any change...mask, whatever. I see no need to change it. It hurts nothing to leave it at 1 since that is what you have been using. You might or might not perceive any difference with your mask at your pressures. This is not one of those things that is going to make a HUGE difference going one way or the other. If it ain't broke...no need to fix it.
I know people keep wondering if this little change or that little change is going to make the miracle or break the miracle but the simple fact is that most of the time a tiny change isn't a deal breaker and if you change something and there is a slight variance in sleep report data...we don't know if it is just a variation that would have happened anyway. Like my AHIs that sometimes go from 0.2 to 5.2 to 1.2 to 0.0 in 4 days and I don't change anything....it just happens.

[Todzo]

Is there evidence that Philips Respironics System One "Resistance Control" reduces AHI or is it a comfort feature? I just got a new cpap after logging 30,000 hours on my last one. So, with all the newfangled bells and whistles and the ability to do my own sleep studies at home with my new machine, I just want to focus right now on those features that improve sleep quality. I want to remove extraneous "comfort features" as I have been comfortable for years without them . . . although I do miss feeding the hamster to operate the compressor on my old cpap.
Thanks!

Well it looks like you are running straight CPAP so perhaps this could work for you.

In an effort to reduce the abruptness of the “clear airway sensing / pacing” pulses from my machine I added a couple of 2 liter pop bottles to the circuit (simply compressable air space) and after finding that this also reduced noise some elbows as well to further reduce noise. I discovered that this also reduced the immediate back pressure as I began exhale and my breathing out met the fan recently spun up to deal with the needs of my inhale cycle. The feeling is much more natural and very nice!!! Less noise is very nice!!!

[Gary_UT]

I wonder if the PR System One "Resistance Control" is the '+' part of Respironics' C-flex+. I also wonder if it is just a marketing gimmick feature to differentiate their product . . .

The + refers to the exhale pressure relief , it has 2 modes C-flex and C-flex +. The C-flex + mode smoothes out the transitions in the pressure relief. I find the + mode to be much more comfortable, but I am at a fairly high pressure.

I have never changed the resistance setting, it is at 0.

Gary

[cdean]

Pugsy, if I set mine to "0" would I be likely to notice any change in breathing effort or comfort, or would it possibly change efficacy of therapy in some way?

I tried all the settings back when I got my first PR S1 machine...from resistance control set to 0 (off) up to 4 with my Swift FX nasal pillow mask (that was my main mask back in 2011 when I got my first PR S1) and I couldn't tell any difference anywhere with anything.

Yep, I changed mine from 1 to 0 (i.e., off) and no change in AHI or comfort.
Based on my research to date, including the very helpful link you provided, . . . "Resistance Control" setting 0, X1, X2, etc is an add-on feature likely designed to encourage cross-selling of Respironics masks to Respironics cpap machine users. I would love to see a published study showing it actually improves cpap therapy (AHI, etc ) or comfort in any way. For now, I think it is marketing hype and since I am a big believer in parsimony and simplicity I'm leaving it at 0.

[old dude]

Pugsy, if I set mine to "0" would I be likely to notice any change in breathing effort or comfort, or would it possibly change efficacy of therapy in some way?

I tried all the settings back when I got my first PR S1 machine...from resistance control set to 0 (off) up to 4 with my Swift FX nasal pillow mask (that was my main mask back in 2011 when I got my first PR S1) and I couldn't tell any difference anywhere with anything.

Yep, I changed mine from 1 to 0 (i.e., off) and no change in AHI or comfort.
Based on my research to date, including the very helpful link you provided, . . . "Resistance Control" setting 0, X1, X2, etc is an add-on feature likely designed to encourage cross-selling of Respironics masks to Respironics cpap machine users. I would love to see a published study showing it actually improves cpap therapy (AHI, etc ) or comfort in any way. For now, I think it is marketing hype and since I am a big believer in parsimony and simplicity I'm leaving it at 0.

I went ahead and did the same thing last night also changing mine from 1 to zero.

And the result was…nothing. At least insofar as I could tell after a one night trial. Guess I'll see after a little longer time but I sure couldn't feel anything different and my numbers were about the same.

[Drowsy Dancer]

Agree that it is in truth likely intended to cross-sell masks.

Nominally it is billed as a refinement to delivery of the prescribed pressure, taking into account the mask that delivers said pressure. Not a comfort measure.

It appears to be useless.

Helpful discussion in this thread: viewtopic/t52081/System-One-Resistance-Control.html