Confused between reported OA and CA data..

[Madcat207]

Hey all.  So, I feel like I understand the physical differences between the two, but looking at my sleepyhead data provides new confusion.  I see 1 or two CA events per night (enough to worry this hypochondriac, but am told its ok), but I am confused when looking at them, as they look very similar to other OA events. For example, here is a "CA":



And here is the OA:


Maybe some of the other data before tells the machine something different, but they both look pretty similar to me. Any community thoughts?  Is the machine right, or is it just sometimes bad at determining?

[Walla Walla]

The answer is yes. Actually they both look like a sigh which is not an event at all. But I'll defer to the expert chart readers here.

[ajack]

I ignore everything after a deep breath.
You may want to stick to the same thread for people to follow your progress.

[Madcat207]

My bad on the multiple threads. I debated posting in the other, but since I was curious about something else, I thought I would split it. 

That said, thanks again both of you for the input. I wont stress it, and I can let this thread go by the wayside (baring any other info).

[Sleeprider]

The events are nothing, but you have a snore on the top of every inspiration I can see. I can't say why since pressure is relatively high but that saw-tooth top on the curve is snore or flow limits, even though your machine does not seem to be scoring it. Maybe include the flow limitation and snore charts?

[Madcat207]

The events are nothing, but you have a snore on the top of every inspiration I can see.  I can't say why since pressure is relatively high but that saw-tooth top on the curve is snore or flow limits, even though your machine does not seem to be scoring it.  Maybe include the flow limitation and snore charts?

So, the FL markers were on, but this time the VS and VS2 markers are on.  The chart below is for last night, where again I get a CA looking like an OA, and I have no idea what is what (or, as you guys say, if it is anything at all.  Honestly, I have having it scored if it really is nothing.)  The large leak noted occurred this morning when I tried going back to my old habit of belly sleeping; I do remember the time and waking up, and fixed it with no issue.

[Sleeprider]

In the segment highlighted above, I see some hypopnea followed by recovery breathing at 01:47, this reduces to a borderline hypopnea followed by a VS with recovery breath. a period of quiet breathing with a sigh at 01:55:40. The flagged CA does not look like an apena at all but resembles what was discussed above. The H even at 01:57 looks legit. The final OA looks like a position change, and breathing resumes gradually rather than a recovery breath. In other words, in this entire segment, all flagged events look to be nothing to be concerned with.

[edfreeman]

Sleepyhead novice here, but I always thought there'd be nothing detectable in the flow graph that would distinguish between an OA and a CA. I thought the machine detected a stoppage in breathing and sent pressure pulses that would make the distinction. If the airway is open, the additional volume of the lungs in the "circuit" would cause less pressure increase per pulse vs the airway closed and only the hose and nasal passages to the throat.

Found this thread that led me to this conclusion:

http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...0-CA-vs-OA Post 5

[Walla Walla]

It can't tell if your holding your breath instead of you stopped breathing because your brain didn't send the signal not to breath.

[Hojo]

...nor does the machine have the ability to detect muscle movement (attempt to breath), but it is better than nothing and fairly reliable at distinguishing between OA and CA events.