[Pressure] Fairly new to CPAP, need help interpreting OSCAR data

[Maverick3u3]

Hello,

First and foremost, I am fairly new to using a CPAP machine, and have been using a Resmed Airsense 11 CPAP machine for about 1 and a half months now. After doing an at home sleep study, I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea based on the results of my pRDI being 9.3, O2 nadir of 90%. My AHI ended up being 4.6. 

When I first got my machine, it was set at the default settings of 4-20cm H2O, but I ended up tinkering with the settings and boosted it up to 7-20cm H2O due to still feeling exhausted with the 4-20cm H2O setting it was at prior. After changing to 7-20cm, my AHI has still been around the 4 AHI range, though I do not feel as sleepy as when it was at 4-20cm. 

I know that being <5 AHI means that the treatment is technically working, but I was wondering if there would be a way to lower my AHI (if it is necessary) by interpreting the OSCAR data. Thank you very much for your time and help.

[Expat31]

Hi, 

It looks to me that your pressure settings are not doing much to reduce your AHI's, although the maximum setting is at the machine's limit of 20cms.

I would be inclined to increase minmum from 7 to 9, with EPR at 3, and see what happens.

[Expat31]

ps,

if that does not work, EPR off.

[staceyburke]

You are having positional apnea.  You can see positional apnea where either H or Oa events are clustered together.  Getting rid of as many as you can will lower your AHI.  Positional apnea can NOT be controlled by pressure changes.  You have to find out what position you are getting into and cutting off your own airway.  Have you changed your sleep position?  Sleeping on your back?  Using more (or new) pillows?  These things can cause positional apnea by chin dropping to your sternum and cutting your airway.  Think of it of a kinked hose – nothing can get through – you have to unkink the hose…

You do NOT have a lot of positional apnea but you will decrease the AHI if you can stop getting into the position that causes positional apnea.

[Expat31]

@stacyburke I have a different opinon...we shall see....
..

[Maverick3u3]

Thank you everyone for the responses!

It looks to me that your pressure settings are not doing much to reduce your AHI's, although the maximum setting is at the machine's limit of 20cms.

I would be inclined to increase minmum from 7 to 9, with EPR at 3, and see what happens.

I'll go ahead and set my machine to 9-20 with the EPR at 3 to see if I get any improvements in the next few days, and then I'll post some updates.

You are having positional apnea.  You can see positional apnea where either H or Oa events are clustered together.  Getting rid of as many as you can will lower your AHI.  Positional apnea can NOT be controlled by pressure changes.  You have to find out what position you are getting into and cutting off your own airway.  Have you changed your sleep position?  Sleeping on your back?  Using more (or new) pillows? 

In regards to my sleeping position, I am more of a slide sleeper as opposed to sleeping on my back as with my sleep study, it seems like my AHI was lower when sleeping on my sides. I only sleep on one pillow.