Interpreting the Numbers

I think I am doing very well. I feel good, a little tired but that is because I am not sleeping as much as I should. Late in bed and early up, but that should change this weekend.

I am sleeping with a Ultra Mirage Full Face Mask this week. I am going to change between the masks and see what difference the mask makes on the numbers.

Resmed auto with c-flex, 12-16cm is my pressure range. c-flex set at 2, heated humidifier set on 2.

0 non responsive apneas every night.

2/12 AHI: 0.4 events/hr
Total obstructive apneas: 3
Total hypopneas: 1
Total time in apnea: 36 sec
OAI: 0.31
HI: 0.10
FLI: 2.09

2/13 AHI: 1.8 events/hr
Total obstructive apneas: 3
Total hypopneas: 11
Total time in apnea: 36 sec
OAI: 0.39
HI: 1.42
FLI: 3.10

2/14 AHI: 3.8 events/hr
Total obstructive apneas: 10
Total hypopneas: 18
Total time in apnea: 108 sec
OAI: 1.37
HI: 2.47
FLI: 3.85

2/15 AHI: 2.3 events/hr
Total obstructive apneas: 3
Total hypopneas: 13
Total time in apnea: 36 sec
OAI: 0.43
HI: 1.86
FLI: 3.87

Question 1. Any AHI under 5 per hour is good? I get confused when reading about people's AHI, not sure if it is per hour or per night. Since I have AHI less than 5 PER HOUR, I assume my numbers are fantastic.

Question 2. OAI is the index for hypopneas and apneas for the whole night divided by the amt of hours you sleep. Is any OAI under 5.0 good? I am under 2.0 every night, so again I think my numbers are fantastic.

Question 3. Is FLI between 2.09 and 3.87 good? Is that the number that indicates leaks?

I don't look at the snore index at all. I have tape recorded myself at night with a sound sensitive digital recorder, and it doesn't hear a peep out of me. I am more interested in the oxygen to my brain. Before cpap, I have been on it since middle of December, I had no short term memory. After cpap I have a great short term memory. I also feel great, no more headaches. I drove to Vegas and back in 2 days, 5 hrs each way, and no sleepiness. In the past I have had to have the kids keep an constant conversation with me to stop me from falling asleep. Cpap is working for me, I just wanted to make sure my numbers are as great as I think they are.

Ritap1965 wrote:Question 1. Any AHI under 5 per hour is good?

Your numbers look good to me Ritap1965. I'm hoping someday soon to be successful at getting my numbers down that low. Yes, the AHI is per hour.

Ritap1965 wrote:Question 2. OAI is the index for hypopneas and apneas for the whole night divided by the amt of hours you sleep.

OAI is Ostructive Apnea Index.

Ritap1965 wrote:Question 3. Is FLI between 2.09 and 3.87 good? Is that the number that indicates leaks?

FLI seems to be pretty arbitrary, depending upon manufacturer. It's an obstructive event which is less than a hypopnea, so no it doesn't indicate leaks.

It's great that you're doing better. I'm not sure there's a good reason for the numbers which the health care industry uses to characterize apneas, because the symptoms experienced by apnea sufferers do not seem to correlate real well with the numbers. Kinda seems to me that a better measure would be the length of the longest apnea. If you only experience one apnea in a night and it just happens to be longer than about five minutes, you're either gonna have one heck of a headache or wake up dead.

Regards,
Bill

A H I =Apnea Hypopnea Index

All the other "I"s stand for index as well - which is the total number of apneas, divided by the hours of sleep.

I'm glad to hear you're doing so well, Rita!

O.