Have Software - Need Help

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
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Bluebonnet_Gal
Posts: 293
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 9:12 pm
Location: Texas

Have Software - Need Help

Post by Bluebonnet_Gal » Sat Dec 20, 2008 4:41 pm

My card reader and software arrived in the mail today. Now if only I could better understand the reports. I've posted a summary:

http://s168.photobucket.com/albums/u174 ... 0-2008.jpg

If anyone has experience with this software and any tips on how to get the most out of it, I would appreciate the help!

Gail

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Fredman
Posts: 496
Joined: Sun Dec 24, 2006 12:28 pm
Location: Alberta, Canada

Re: Have Software - Need Help

Post by Fredman » Sun Dec 21, 2008 7:13 am

Bluebonnet_Gal wrote:My card reader and software arrived in the mail today. Now if only I could better understand the reports. I've posted a summary:

http://s168.photobucket.com/albums/u174 ... 0-2008.jpg

If anyone has experience with this software and any tips on how to get the most out of it, I would appreciate the help!
I am a Respironics owner and yes my software provides greater detail. Usually a couple of pages of summary and then a page for each night. Hopefully those with Resmed software can provide greater some assistance. Sorry I could not be of much help, but hopefully by posting a response we can get some more responses that will be able to help.

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sleepydoll
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Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2008 7:33 am
Location: Sept-Iles, Quebec, Canada

Re: Have Software - Need Help

Post by sleepydoll » Sun Dec 21, 2008 7:58 am

Here is ome info that I had gathered in the beginning of my " quest" to better understand it all!

AHI (Apnea Hypopnea Index)
Apnea Hypopnea Index is the number of apneas and hypopneas per hour. This index, as well as oxygen saturation levels (O2 Sat), is used to determine how severe a case of Sleep Apnea a patient has.

The Severity of OSA as defined by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Task Force (1999) is:

AHI < 5 Normal
5 =< AHI <15 Mild
15 =< AHI <30 Moderate
30 =< AHI Severe

AI is the average number of apneas per hour (where an apnea is defined as a 75% reduction in breathing for 10 or more seconds)
HI is the average number of times your breathing is reduced to 50% of baseline per hour
Putting AI and HI into context depends on the nature of your breathing disorder, and I don't know enough about it to tell you more.

Leaks:
The leak rate for masks are published by the manufacturers in a table or as a graph which gives the leak rate for a particular pressure. One usually subtracts that value from the leak rates reported by our machines (some machine can save this value internally and automatically subtract it) to get the unintentional or unwanted leak when one uses the xPAP.
However, the published leak value may not be what your particular machine may be coming up with for a number of reasons:

* The actual pressure at the mask may be a bit different than the published value the manufacturer used, because of drops in the tube
* There will be manufacturing variations from mask to mask of even a particular model

viewtopic/t32861/Help-with-question-abo ... lated.html

Masks are made with vent holes to allow exhaled air to reach the atmosphere. If this did not happen, carbon dioxide would accumulate and suffocate the user. Each mask has its own intentional leak rate which increases with pressure. The amount of the intentional leak rate versus pressure can be found in the instruction manual that comes with the mask. Some rates have been tabulated on the World Wide Web. While some machines/software/mask combinations take into account the intentional leak rate when reporting leak rates, most machines report the total leak rate. The total leak rate is the sum of the intentional leak rate (the air leaking out the vent holes in the mask) and the residual leak rate, the air leaking accidently out of the system.

Reducing the Residual Mask Leak Rate.
"Babette" once noted that one of the ways of reducing the residual leak rate is to wipe a thin layer of Lasinoh , a Lanolin like compound, on the seal of the mask where it touches the face. It is sticky and helps the mask adhere to the face. Lasinoh is used to help heal the nipples of nursing mothers and maybe found in the baby section of your local store.
90% refers to the 90th percentile ... meaning that 90% of the measured daily values were at or below the 90th percentile value. Your machine samples the values throughout each 24-hour sleep session(s) and caluculates the statistical 90th percentile value for that 24-hour period.

Average 90% refers to the simple arithmetic average of your daily 90% values. Respironics machines use 90% whereas ResMed uses 95% stats.

With regard to leak stats, ResMed subtracts normal CO2 vent rates for masks (based on ResMed brand mask setting) and does so using units of L/s instead of L/m (multiply ResMed leak values by 60 to convert to L/m). Respironics machines provide leak and CO2 vent rates as a sum so you have to subtract your own mask vent rate from the provided "Respironics leak" rate data based on your type of mask and pressure ... doing so gives you the value for all other non-normal leaks such as mask leaks, hose/connection leaks, and mouth leaks (for nasal interface users).

No need to suspect leak loss values if you have a machine capable of providing efficacy data (seems like you do based on your profile info) ... it should tell what your leak rate is fairly precisely. Subtract your mask CO2 vent rate (found in users manual) to determine problem leaks.

for Acronyms, please check this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=33387&p=283484&hilit=+Acronyms+definition#p283484

I hope this will help you a bit more.
Dolores
Experience is what you get, when you don't get what you want!
The mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work unless it’s open.

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Bluebonnet_Gal
Posts: 293
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 9:12 pm
Location: Texas

Re: Have Software - Need Help

Post by Bluebonnet_Gal » Sun Dec 21, 2008 3:21 pm

Thanks for the help!

I was mainly having trouble determining if my leak rate was too high. I found another thread that indicated a leak rate under .4 is "ok". So, it looks like my leak rate is ok, but not great. I've been wanting to try a full face mask. I may contact my DME this week and see if I can get a trial on one.

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Goofproof
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Location: Central Indiana, USA

Re: Have Software - Need Help

Post by Goofproof » Sun Dec 21, 2008 7:38 pm

To even attempt to measure your leak rate with your machine, it must be set for the correct mask type. Jim

I think the Resmed process for leak measurement is like a shotgun, not as precise as doing the math on total leak.
Use data to optimize your xPAP treatment!

"The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease." Voltaire