Data capability/software reports for different machines?

RosemaryB · Post by **RosemaryB** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 6:37 am

I'm still trying to decide which machine to ask my GP to write a script for. In looking at my sleep study one of the valuable things was the Night Somnogram, a line graph which showed various dimensions over the course of the night. It showed for instance, that I had hyponeas during the whole night, but the apneas were all clustered together during one portion of the night (probably while I was on my back). It also showed the sleep stages.

I know that the fully data capable machines don't show all these dimensions (sleep stages, for instance), but this made me wonder what they do show and whether there's any differences between the ResMed, Respironics, and P & B brands (the fully data capable machines).

Is there a difference in the specifics they report?

Do they all show charts with numbers or do some of them show the events progressing over the night in graph form (line graph?) Any other charts or graphs?

Do any of them have auxiliary/additional software (not developed by the company) that improve the data that they report? What does this do?

Any other advantages or disadvantages data-wise between these machines?

SleepySandy · Post by **SleepySandy** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 11:21 am

Hi Rosemary,

There are differences in what the various machines report. Here's the breakdown in the softwares:

Respironics - EncorePro software - Respironics allows software to be sold to patients but it's not officially intended for patients; can be purchased online from cpap.com
Puritan Bennett - Silverlining software; PB allows software to be sold to patients but it's not officially intended for patients; can be purchased online from cpap.com
Resmed - AutoScan software; Resmed's policy is that patients cannot purchase software; cannot be purchased from cpap.com; there is a place in Australia it can be ordered from

In addition to the official softwares listed above, an add-on software has been developed for EncorePro. It's called EncorePro Analyzer. You do have to have EncorePro to use it.

I have EncorePro and EncorePro Analyzer. I'll do a separate post with links to examples from each.

Hopefully someone with AutoScan and someone with Silverlining will post examples of those screens.

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): respironics, resmed, cpap.com

SleepySandy · Post by **SleepySandy** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 11:39 am

EncorePro reports have several pages of data including long term trend, patterns of use, daily details, and summary of compliance data. I find the most useful page to be the Daily Details.

The amount of information shown in the EncorePro reports depends on the type of machine (regular CPAP, Auto CPAP or Bi-level CPAP). Autos have more information than regular CPAPs; Bi-levels have more information than Autos. This is due to the functionality of the machines, not limitations of the software.

You can see an example of the Daily Details page from an Auto report and a straight CPAP report here (the first report is the Auto; the second is the CPAP): viewtopic/t19006/First-night-on-Auto.html

You can see an example of the Daily Details page from a Bi-Level report here: viewtopic.php?t=18771

Samples of the EncorePro Analyzer charts can be seen here: http://james.istop.com/EncoreProAnalyzer/charts/ and the software can be requested here: http://james.istop.com/EncoreProAnalyzer/

Daffney_Gillfin · Post by **Daffney_Gillfin** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 11:41 am

SleepySandy wrote:Hi Rosemary,

Hopefully someone with AutoScan and someone with Silverlining will post examples of those screens.

I have some of the more helpful charts/graphs from Silverlining posted at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/daffneygillfin/

There are many more charts, but what I have posted is mainly all I look at for now. There is some data that can be exported in ASCII format, but I'm not sure what all that is yet. I've only been using the machine for a week.

(In case you're not familiar with flickr.com, it is possible to view the full size by clicking the "All sizes" icon above the picture.)

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 12:42 pm

Daffney_Gillfin wrote:
SleepySandy wrote:Hi Rosemary,

Hopefully someone with AutoScan and someone with Silverlining will post examples of those screens.

I have some of the more helpful charts/graphs from Silverlining posted at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/daffneygillfin/

There are many more charts, but what I have posted is mainly all I look at for now. There is some data that can be exported in ASCII format, but I'm not sure what all that is yet. I've only been using the machine for a week.

(In case you're not familiar with flickr.com, it is possible to view the full size by clicking the "All sizes" icon above the picture.)

Well your 4/13 report sure looks BETTER than before. Nice to see those CA's go away completely.

The question is: How do you feel now?

My vote on Reporting Software:

1. Silverlining by far the best
2. EncorePro but you cannot always trust the data
3. LCD display info - Resmed
4. LCD display info - Remstar M series
5. Nothing at all
6. Resmed AutoScan

Daffney_Gillfin · Post by **Daffney_Gillfin** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 1:43 pm

Snoredog wrote:
Daffney_Gillfin wrote:
I have some of the more helpful charts/graphs from Silverlining posted at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/daffneygillfin/
Well your 4/13 report sure looks BETTER than before. Nice to see those CA's go away completely.

The question is: How do you feel now?

I feel terrible. I updated the description under the latest detailed report to explain why I made the changes I made, but may have not had it updated when you looked at it.

I have a cold, so I thought upping the pressure might help keep the nasal passages open for the night so I wouldn't need a FF mask. I was a bit surprised that I actually flat-lined on the pressure for the entire night. That was my first ever AHI=0. I also had my upper body elevated for the entire night. I feel like slept well considering, and that was my goal for the night.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 2:49 pm

Daffney_Gillfin wrote:
Snoredog wrote:
Daffney_Gillfin wrote:
I have some of the more helpful charts/graphs from Silverlining posted at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/daffneygillfin/
Well your 4/13 report sure looks BETTER than before. Nice to see those CA's go away completely.

The question is: How do you feel now?

I feel terrible. I updated the description under the latest detailed report to explain why I made the changes I made, but may have not had it updated when you looked at it.

I have a cold, so I thought upping the pressure might help keep the nasal passages open for the night so I wouldn't need a FF mask. I was a bit surprised that I actually flat-lined on the pressure for the entire night. That was my first ever AHI=0. I also had my upper body elevated for the entire night. I feel like slept well considering, and that was my goal for the night.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 4:44 pm

Isn't ASCII the same thing as DOS text?? Its been a long time but I seem to remember that they are the same thing. Correct me if I'm wrong you old time (pre Windows) 'puter users.

And, I happen to LIKE the Resmed AutoScan printouts BETTER than the EncorePro printouts. EncorePro NEEDS MyEncore to make the info understandable to me. I don't know about James' EncoreProAnalyzer but I would imagine it also enhances the EncorePro. The Resmed AutoScan data is EASY to understand, AutoScan and its driver are EASY to install and USE. I couldn't say the same for EncorePro and its driver! I've lost all desire to switch to the Respironics and EncorePro.

The ONE thing I DID like best about the EncorePro report was the chart, I think it is the Daily Events Per Hour chart. (This printout was from the Remstar Auto w/C-Flex [the "tank", not the M series]). Pressures were listed across the top from 4 cms to 20 cms. Then the following lines were: Minutes at Pressure; % of the Night; Flow Limitation; Snore; Non-responsive A/H; OSA; Hypopnea; and AHI. The 90% percentile pressure column was shaded in grey.

AutoScan also have some VERY detailed info that can be exported to Excel.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 5:13 pm

[quote="Slinky"]Isn't ASCII the same thing as DOS text?? Its been a long time but I seem to remember that they are the same thing. Correct me if I'm wrong you old time (pre Windows) 'puter users.

And, I happen to LIKE the Resmed AutoScan printouts BETTER than the EncorePro printouts. EncorePro NEEDS MyEncore to make the info understandable to me. I don't know about James' EncoreProAnalyzer but I would imagine it also enhances the EncorePro. The Resmed AutoScan data is EASY to understand, AutoScan and its driver are EASY to install and USE. I couldn't say the same for EncorePro and its driver! I've lost all desire to switch to the Respironics and EncorePro.

The ONE thing I DID like best about the EncorePro report was the chart, I think it is the Daily Events Per Hour chart. (This printout was from the Remstar Auto w/C-Flex [the "tank", not the M series]). Pressures were listed across the top from 4 cms to 20 cms. Then the following lines were: Minutes at Pressure; % of the Night; Flow Limitation; Snore; Non-responsive A/H; OSA; Hypopnea; and AHI. The 90% percentile pressure column was shaded in grey.

AutoScan also have some VERY detailed info that can be exported to Excel.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 5:59 pm

My Elite is not capable of the Detailed Data but the S8 AutoSet is. I don't know how to scan and post or I would post the AutoSet sample data printout page from AutoScan 5.7

Besides which, not everyone understands those charts as well as you "old timers"!!!

You don't remember ASCII and DOS text, SnoreDog?? Betchya GoofProof does!!

RosemaryB · Post by **RosemaryB** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 7:49 pm

Sandy and Daffney, thank you for the great photos of the software and what the software reports. Very awesome. I really appreciate this, since time is of the essence. I have a doc appt early next week and need to get as much info as I can before then, because he will write the script then.

[quote="Snoredog"]
Ah but the difference is you don't have to export Silverlining or EncorePro data to make it usable. Silverlining also has an export feature along with a real time capture of raw sleep data.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 9:32 pm

I only had experience w/the "tank" and the 1.5.77 software so I can't answer that, RosemaryB. Check out SleepySandy's post of one of her recent printouts. She has the M series.

Oh, and do check your PMs!

SleepySandy · Post by **SleepySandy** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 9:44 pm

The "tank" uses the same software as the M-Series.

I have one version behind the current version of EncorePro (version 1.6.22)

Rested Gal has a "tank" and uses EncorePro. I know she has the latest version of EncorePro - 1.8.

So, if you get a REMStar machine, both the M-Series and the pre-M Series (the "tank") can use EncorePro.

The data you get will depend on the machine type - regular CPAP, Auto, or Bi-Level. It won't depend on whether the machine is M-Series or a "tank"

RosemaryB · Post by **RosemaryB** » Mon May 21, 2007 7:45 pm

I'm adding a link so people can see the AutoScan software.

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/1988

DreamSeeker · Post by **DreamSeeker** » Mon May 21, 2007 8:09 pm

Rosemary,

DSM has quite a few screenshots of Autoscan software on his website:

Here's the link

http://www.internetage.com/cpapinfo/index.html

Hope this helps!