What is a RERA?

Hello,

I had my titration study completed and got my results today. I posted earlier, but got no response to this question. What is an RERA? Is it caused by OSA? Will cpap help with these?

I have included a copied and pasted image of my sleep study. ( I can't figure out how to download/upload images, even when someone gave me a link to read)

Any input, suggestions, and opinions are welcomed!!

SLEEP ARCHITECTURE:
Total Sleep Time (TST): 157.5 min
Total Time in Bed (TIB): 418.0 min
Sleep Efficiency (SE): 37.7%
Latency to Sleep Onset (LTSO): 43.0 min
Latency to REM Onset (LTRO): 289.5 min
LEG MOVEMENTS:
Total Leg Movements (PLMS): 28
Leg Movement Index: 10.7 / Hour
Leg Movement Arousal Index: 4.2 / Hour
RESPIRATORY EFFORT RELATED AROUSALS (RERAs):
Total RERAs: 12
RERA Index: 4.6 / Hour
SLEEP STAGES DISTRIBUTION:
Episodes Duration TIB SPT TST
(# of) (min) (%) (%) (%)
REM 2 4.5 1.1 1.2 2.9
N1 12 15.0 3.6 4.0 9.5
N2 5 122.0 29.2 32.5 77.5
N3 2 16.0 3.8 4.3 10.2
Body Position Analysis:
Level Time
In
Minutes
% Sleep % REM Central
Apnea
(CA)
Obst.
Apnea
(OSA)
Mixed
Apnea
(MA)
Hypopn
ea
(HYP)
Index
(#/h)
Supine
Left
Right 366.5 43.0 1.2 0 0 0 3 1.1
Prone
Respiratory Events:
REM CA OA MA Total
Apnea
HYP NREM CA OA MA Total
Apnea
HYP
Number 0 0 0 0 1 Number 0 0 0 0 2
% REM 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 10.9 %
NREM
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4
AHI
REM
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 13.3 AHI
NREM
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.8
Apnea/Hypopnea Index (Total sleep time)
REM
#/h (REM)
NREM
#/h(NREM)
TST
#/h (sleep)
AHI 13.3 0.8 1.1
RDI 40.0 4.7 5.7

RERA = respiratory effort related arousal

It is an episode of partially obstructed breathing (not enough to score an apnea or hypopnea), followed by an arousal. These arousals typically involve kicking you out of a deeper stage of sleep into a lighter stage. It isn't necessary caused by OSA because a person can have a problematic number of RERAs without having OSA. However, it is on the spectrum of sleep-disordered breathing. And yes, PAP therapy can help.

If you already have a copy of the sleep study on your computer, go to a site like Photobucket or imgur and open an account (both sites are free). Upload your file, and when you do you'll be shown an image code (it will start with [IMG} and end with [/IMG]. Copy that code and paste it right into a post here. It will just look like text, but click on the Preview button and you should see your image. Then you know we'll see it too when you submit your post. Make sure your image is large enough that it's easy to read when you post it. Let me know if you're having trouble with it.

That's not a lot of limb movements but you may want to keep an eye on them if you continue to have sleep problems after your CPAP treatment should be giving you better sleep.

kaiasgram wrote:RERA = respiratory effort related arousal

It is an episode of partially obstructed breathing (not enough to score an apnea or hypopnea), followed by an arousal. These arousals typically involve kicking you out of a deeper stage of sleep into a lighter stage. It isn't necessary caused by OSA because a person can have a problematic number of RERAs without having OSA. However, it is on the spectrum of sleep-disordered breathing. And yes, PAP therapy can help.

If you already have a copy of the sleep study on your computer, go to a site like Photobucket or imgur and open an account (both sites are free). Upload your file, and when you do you'll be shown an image code (it will start with [IMG} and end with [/IMG]. Copy that code and paste it right into a post here. It will just look like text, but click on the Preview button and you should see your image. Then you know we'll see it too when you submit your post. Make sure your image is large enough that it's easy to read when you post it. Let me know if you're having trouble with it.

Thank you. I will try it out and see if it works.

kteague wrote:That's not a lot of limb movements but you may want to keep an eye on them if you continue to have sleep problems after your CPAP treatment should be giving you better sleep.

I will definitely keep an eye on them! Thanks.

If your overall sleep study RDI is 40, it is classified as severe apnea. RDI, which many times is the same number as AHI (in those who do not have RERA) is the more important number and is determinative in diagnosis of severity of apnea.

I don't see titration results in your OP. Perhaps I missed them.

tedburnsIII wrote:You have an RDI (which predominates over AHI) of 40, and thus classify as suffering from severe apnea.

That is a "diagnosis" from Doctor Ted Burns the third............. and don't you forget it!!!
I didn't know that you had become an expert in such a short time Ted,,, how did you manage that?

You don't need to be a physician to read what is very clearly stated in the literature. RDI is the determining factor in classification of severity. It's just numbers used to classify. You are an idiot.

Instead of your 'wise-cracking', please cite evidence to the contrary re diagnostic RDI of 40 not being classified as severe OSA.

tedburnsIII wrote:You don't need to be a physician to read what is very clearly stated in the literature. RDI is the determining factor in classification of severity. It's just numbers used to classify. You are an idiot.

Wrong answer..... YOU are the idiot.... or did your mother have you tested to see if you were crazy or not .... Sheldon.

One example, of probably many:



See: http://www.aasmnet.org/Resources/clinic ... 040210.pdf

And who is crazy... a female named 'Sheldon'?!?

You are not only crazy but a moron and an idiot. Stop thread-crapping, you moron!

Instead of citing evidence to the contrary, you choose to make personal attacks. That is kind of 'puerile' and stupid.

I am through posting on this 'half-baked' forum. It's not worth the aggravation or my time. You can thank yourselves for the
chilling effect it has placed on my contributions, and no doubt many others. This forum is informative but the people, especially most of the
old-time 'losers', really suck.

tedburnsIII wrote:That is kind of 'puerile' and stupid.

either go away, or quit lying about going away.

Paying it forward, pal!

tedburnsIII wrote:Paying it forward, pal!

your lies and incompetence enrich our lives to no end!

Dawn, Ted is right about the RDI being the more important figure vs. the AHI since it is 40 vs. an AHI of 13. AHI just includes the apneas/hypopneas while the RDI includes the RERAS and the apneas/hypopneas. So yes, your condition would be considered severe.

Don't know how your doctor deals with this but on my last full scale study, I had an AHI of 5.9 which my sleep doctor called very mild. Not quite since my RDI was 23 making it a moderate case. I mean, the treatment is still the same but I felt like she was minimizing my issues by not looking at the data correctly.

Hope that helps.

49er