Help interpreting OSCAR results and improving AHI

[austinweathers29]

Hi, I have a Resmed AirCurve ASV and have been struggling to find optimal settings as well as having larger leak rates. I have attached my last 3 nights of OSCAR results. 

Anyone know how I may be able to improve?

Just joined and recently diagnosed!

[staceyburke]

I am not an AVS user but what I see are 2 things.  First yes you have mask leaks but your longest leaks are mouth leaks.  You can tell the difference between Mouth and Mask leaks - Mask leaks are sharp spikes while mouth leaks are long flat top periods.  Some people use full face masks others tape their mouth to stop leaks from the mouth.

Second - You have some positional Apnea.  They show up as Ua, Oa or H events grouped together.  No pressure changes can help with these, you have to stop getting into a position that blocks your airway.  It is also known as chin tucking when your chin drops down to your sternum cutting off the airway.  Sometimes it is as simple as not sleeping on your back or getting flatter pillows.  If simple changes like that don't work many people use collars.  I have a link to collars in my signature.  It shows people without collars and the same people with collars, HUGE difference.

[Rich66]

Your lowest AHI was when you had the lower settings on the 28th. Then you increased the pressures. Those higher pressures are more of a default starting point. And all those leaks most probably are disturbing to the sleep. I would go back to the settings on the 28th, and start there. But a bigger issue is fighting those leaks. Concentrate on solving those, then you can adjust the pressures -- probably down.

[austinweathers29]

Thank you both for your help. I learned that I cannot tolerate a high EPAP so I have kept my EPAP range at 4-6 and am slowly increasing my PS to help take care of my Hypopnea.

Additionally, I have been using a sleep collar which has drastically helped with the positional apneas.

I reached a new low AHI of 0.78 last night. THANK YOU!!