How accurate is an auto bipap vs a new titration?

[tryingtosleep]

I have let my fiancee borrow my autobipap, he was titrated 3 years ago, but I heard him snoring more and breathing differently, and just wondered how accurate the 90 percent numbers are vs a new titration which costs so much. thanks

[Wulfman]

I have let my fiancee borrow my autobipap, he was titrated 3 years ago, but I heard him snoring more and breathing differently, and just wondered how accurate the 90 percent numbers are vs a new titration which costs so much. thanks

What mask is he using? If he's using a nasal mask and leaking air out his mouth, it can skew the results.
It also depends on if there are any other (possible) issues he has......Central Apneas, GERD, RLS, etc.
All things being equal, over a period of time, I'd trust the results from a data-capable machine over a sleep study.
90% numbers can be a little deceiving (and a "moving target"). I prefer to use a number between the "average" and the "90%".

Den

[tryingtosleep]

He is using a resmed quattro, have no rls, no central apneas that i know of, but encore shows no mask leakage. How do you determine an average and not the 90 percent number? i did see the 90 percent average is 14 and 15 so far ipap after 1 week, and he was titrated at 16 ipap 3 years ago but it is hitting 16 occasionally and 17 one night. The epap was titrated at 10, and the 90 percent it is giving me is 12, but it has gone to 14 several times, just not for a long period of time. That was what we were wondering, how to figure the average of everything and get close to the correct numbers. So his original numbers are 16/10. Also, i think it would be good if he used it for a longer period of time to make sure the numbers are consistent.
I don't want him to set it way too high, but it seems like a setting a little high would be better than too low?? Thank you very much

[Wulfman]

It's been awhile since I've looked at a Bi-PAP report, but.......(I believe)......
If you look at the "Sleep Therapy Daily Details" reports, there should be a section in the "Pressure" that show the Averages. Looking at one of my old Auto reports, there are "90% AutoCPAP" and "Avg AutoCPAP". In the Bi-PAP reports, I think it should show corresponding IPAP and EPAP numbers.
If you're looking at the bottom section: "Daily Events Per Hour" (grid), look to see which one had the lowest AHI.

All the 90% pressure shows you is what pressure the machine reached to equal the 90% number. In other words, it spent 90% of the night AT or BELOW that pressure.......and THAT pressure may be far from optimal depending on what caused the pressure to reach those levels.

In my own reports, my 90% number had far worse AHI numbers than some of the other pressures below that one.

Remember, the EPAP pressure is the one that eliminates the Apneas. (or is supposed to)

Snoring is one of those things that a machine will readily respond to. Nasal rinses/cleansing will help reduce sounds that a machine picks up as "snoring".


Den

[rested gal]

he was titrated at 16 ipap 3 years ago but it is hitting 16 occasionally and 17 one night. The epap was titrated at 10, and the 90 percent it is giving me is 12, but it has gone to 14 several times, just not for a long period of time.

To be sure I understand... his titration three years ago was for bilevel treatment, right? And he was prescribed IPAP 16 / EPAP 10? And he's been using a plain bilevel (not autotitrating bilevel) machine ever since?

I realize he's been using your BiPAP Auto machine for this "at home" titration, but what is the name of his own machine -- the machine he'll be using after you take your machine back?

[tryingtosleep]

Hi how are you ? Thanks for the help here, yes his last titration was 3 years ago and I am not saying he wont get another one, he is just trying to decide. His numbers were 16/10 then. His machine is the Respironics Pro 2 with BiFlex. He has had it the 3 years and will go back to it. Thanks for any help.

[Wulfman]

Just to clarify some basic information.....

Do you actually have the "software" (Encore Pro or Viewer) to monitor the results? (or are the numbers you're going by from the LCD screen on your Auto Bi-PAP?)
The Bi-PAP Pro 2 is a fully data-capable machine and the smart card would have data to download to determine how his settings are working. (and could be tweaked on HIS machine)

Without seeing the complete picture from the downloaded data, just summary numbers can be insufficient to determine why pressures are being reached and it then becomes a guessing game.


Den

[tryingtosleep]

hello.. thanks and yes i have encore viewer. I have all his data from the last year at least.