Huge Jump in Leak Rate - New Machine/Mask

Ginny,

I have five of the Legacy models with four different firmware levels (2.5, 2.6, 2.7 and 2.8.)......and each firmware level has different reporting characteristics......particularly in the leak data.
I have no doubt in my mind that if you're comparing "apples to apples", your leak number "issue" is probably in the differences in the reporting characteristics between the Legacy model and your new M Series machine.


Den

That's a good one!
O.

Thank you thank you thank you, Den. I was so hoping you'd chime in on this topic - I was going to PM you in a couple of days if you hadn't. That makes me feel a wholllle lot better! I guess I just don't trust these new-fangled gol' durn M Series machines yet. The thing is it's hard to tell what's "apples to apples" when you've got a whole new setup. It's hard to pinpoint the exact thing that's going on when so many components have changed. I feel a lot better knowing that 10 lpm is not an unheard-of change in leak rate just because of a new firmware version.

ozij wrote:
That's a good one!
O.

Seriously! (well, as serious as I can get..... )

Starting at the beginning of the year, I began doing a month-long test with each of these machines (all set to the same settings, of course) and the one I used in March was the one with the 2.8 firmware. It reported a leak rate in the upper 20's to around 30. My mask leak rate (Vent Flow Rate) for my pressure is around 40. Some of the others are pretty close to my VFR and some a little lower (on "good" nights).
Some of this may be attributable to individual machines and not the firmware level itself, but at least I have seen the differences in (at least) the leak rates with my own eyes.


Den

I had some leak problems last night. Of course comparing the pro 2 with the apap when I do know the firmwares are different poses problems. However, I went back and looked at other old Pro 2 output with this same mask (somnoplus that is - cushion might be different but I doubt the venting is much different from one mask to another but never know - the venting is hard plastic interface in the hose connector) - I also know the pressure I used last night was less - don't ask me what - I think I used 9 and had used 9.5 before. However the leak rate was higher but the bottom horizontal segments were the same height as old Pro 2 data. The segments on that output I from the APAP night before last are one step lower but again different firmware.

All in all no conclusions in last night's experiment except that my battle with leaks isn't over.