Doc debunked CPAP AHI data

activensleepy · Post by **activensleepy** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 4:14 pm

Interesting, sleep doc recently mentioned the built-in AHI data is fairly inaccurate and do not pay much attention to the number. Either he likes ordering labs, or the data is fairly smack on. Seems to be working for this group!

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 4:23 pm

It's better than being wired up every night. If they weren't reasonably close, I doubt that the manufacturers would be able to sell them.....after all, the devices are FDA approved. (for whatever that's worth)

I've seen a number of posts on the forum where the actual sleep studies were probably less-than-accurate, too.

Den

Flying_Norseman · Post by **Flying_Norseman** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 4:53 pm

I think if you ask around here you will find that they have been thoroughly "bunked."

tillymarigold · Post by **tillymarigold** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 4:56 pm

Relative to having a properly-done full PSG with electrodes and pressure transducers and snore mikes and pulse oximeter and all, and your own personal sleep tech, done in your own home? Yeah, it's inaccurate relative to that, and I don't think there's much point in stressing about lowering an AHI of 1.0 to 0.9, especially since AHI doesn't correlate very well with severity of symptoms (especially in women), and isn't the whole point really to relieve symptoms?

On the other hand, measuring your numbers at home instead of in a lab has obvious advantages. And software certainly has its advantages, the main one to me being that if I feel like **** I can look for a reason like leaks or whatever, and sometimes I even find one.

Of course, relative to just trying to guess how you slept last night? The software's *way* more accurate than that.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 6:11 pm

Well said, Tilly!!

Depends on what we're comparing it with. Yep.

The software (Silverlining for the first autopap I used -- the 420E) was absolutely essential to me in getting my treatment going right.

It was through the software data that I saw how bad the mouth air leaks could be.

It was through a good friend's look at the software data that I found out IFL1 in that machine needed to be turned off for me.

It was through the software that I was able to zero in on the best minimum pressure for me to use.

With no sleep study at that time and no doctor, treating myself without using software would have been like driving a mountain road in the fog at night. With software, I was able to tweak my way quickly into comfortable, effective treatment.

RosemaryB · Post by **RosemaryB** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 7:31 pm

[quote="tillymarigold"]Relative to having a properly-done full PSG with electrodes and pressure transducers and snore mikes and pulse oximeter and all, and your own personal sleep tech, done in your own home? Yeah, it's inaccurate relative to that, and I don't think there's much point in stressing about lowering an AHI of 1.0 to 0.9, especially since AHI doesn't correlate very well with severity of symptoms (especially in women), and isn't the whole point really to relieve symptoms?

On the other hand, measuring your numbers at home instead of in a lab has obvious advantages. And software certainly has its advantages, the main one to me being that if I feel like **** I can look for a reason like leaks or whatever, and sometimes I even find one.

Of course, relative to just trying to guess how you slept last night? The software's *way* more accurate than that.

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 8:09 pm

As Tilly and others said, the accuracy is all relative but it is better than nothing at all. Think of the data as a ship's log ... you can use it to chart your way forward or find your way back to a kinder gentler place.

NightHawkeye · Post by **NightHawkeye** » Tue Nov 13, 2007 8:43 pm

activensleepy wrote:Interesting, sleep doc recently mentioned the built-in AHI data is fairly inaccurate and do not pay much attention to the number.

My experience was that the two overnight lab PSG's I had missed my apnea entirely . . .

I'm thinking in-home data is more accurate than sleep lab data. A lot of reasons could account for the discrepancy, starting with the fact that some of us just didn't sleep worth a damn in the sleep labs.

Regards,
Bill

Bert_Mathews · Post by **Bert_Mathews** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:29 am

rested gal wrote: It was through the software that I was able to zero in on the best minimum pressure for me to use.

With no sleep study at that time and no doctor, treating myself without using software would have been like driving a mountain road in the fog at night. With software, I was able to tweak my way quickly into comfortable, effective treatment.

GREAT way of putting it... My first system was just a small screen & No REAL Data - The Dr. just wanted me to return every few weeks so he could milk the ca$h Cow < My wallet or the Insurance Co. >
After having both softwares and systems THEY BOTH make it easy for ME to be INCHARGE of my health and WALLET!!!

BERT

CarrieS · Post by **CarrieS** » Wed Nov 14, 2007 5:52 pm

I look at my data only when Ive been really tired and concerned when I do my AHIs were up (I have software) compared to my AHIs when my energy leverls were good. Anything above 4 I definitely notice but now that Im on APAP that never happens. 3 and Under though I cant really say I notice a specific difference, so it is accurate for deciding if your get proper treatment ot not but not accurate neccessarily for exacts...which in all actuality exacts are not important as stated.

Humidifier

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Doc debunked CPAP AHI data

Doc debunked CPAP AHI data

Re: Doc debunked CPAP AHI data