Data, what does it mean :)

ok so downloaded my first night to see what is says.
AHI 4.1
hypop-0.1
central-3.3 (which i don't get since i didn't get diagnosed with centrals)
obstructive 0.6

leakage rate L/min=maximum was 25.2 (that's not good right?) it says 95th percentile is 14.4 (not sure what that means)


EPR is full time at 3.0
pressure is 9 with ramp of 30 min.


couldn 't get any more info cause the software said i could do summary data so many times and detailed data once. am i doing something wrong? thanks

it also states mask events of 5 with the shortest being 1 min and the longest being 3.5hrs. can anyone explain this to me lol

If it were me, I'd totally disregard what the machine is reporting as "centrals."

Here's a good reference to what the data means:

http://www.resmed.com/au/assets/documen ... ow_eng.pdf

thanks katie. i'm just wondering if what i report is normal or if it's high? it was my first night and i know i fiddled with the mask a few times, had a hard time falling asleep. i suspect tonight should be better. i was wondering if others with this system can only download full stats one time? i'm thinking something didn't download properly.

Your AHI data is not bad, but your leak rate does seem somewhat moderate. I wouldn't pay attention to the maximum leak because that can reflect you adjusting your mask, etc.--the 95th percentile is a better indicator. It sounds like you did really well your first night... honestly most people don't make it through the whole night. I wouldn't worry too much about the data just yet... you appear to be doing great.

On the leak data, although 14.4 is under the threshold of what is considered bad (24), it is still not ideal. I wouldn't worry too much just yet, but something to think about is whether the leaks are from the mask or your mouth. I use a pap cap chinstrap to keep my mouth closed and found my leak rate to be much lower--at 0 most of the night, even though I wasn't over 24 without it. The main issue for me was waking up with a very dry mouth.

The mask events are the number of times you turned the machine on and off... did you get up and turn it off in the night when using the bathroom?

so did you exp. dry mouth when u were breathing out of your mouth during the night, which is why you knew you needed a chin strap? or was it after you started using the strap. i noticed a pasty feeling in my mouth and some congestion in my throat. didn't wake up with nasal congestion which was a first so maybe that's why it's in my throat. we shall see. thanks

sleepymama wrote:so did you exp. dry mouth when u were breathing out of your mouth during the night, which is why you knew you needed a chin strap? or was it after you started using the strap. i noticed a pasty feeling in my mouth and some congestion in my throat. didn't wake up with nasal congestion which was a first so maybe that's why it's in my throat. we shall see. thanks

The dry mouth was before I started using the chin strap... and yes, that was my sign that I was mouth breathing sometimes. What you describe "pasty feeling in your mouth and some congestion in my throat" sounds like you may be mouth breathing sometimes in the night. I would recommend the Pap Cap over other chinstraps and I know you'll find many here who agree. I rarely experience dry mouth any more after getting the Pap Cap.

Make sure what your machine reports as leak rate takes into account the vent rate of your mask. On my machine with my mask, 25% means that I'm not leaking at all.

Jamie

The ResMed machines do take the leak rate into account... so long as you have the correct mask type selected, it should be accurate in only reporting real leak, not mask vent.

Yes, Respironics machines report vent rate but not Resmeds. I don't know about other machine types.

With Resmed machines, you want the reported leak rate to be very close to 0. With Respironics machines you want the reported leak rate to be very close to the vent rate for you particular pressure.