Reras and Dreamstation v Airsense10

[vsheline]

... If a RERA is a flow limitation, then both machines would be treating it.

RERA is a type of arousal. I think the machine's setup manual (Clinician Guide) defines RERA as follows, from memory: a 10 second or longer period of increasing Flow Limitation followed by the recovery (deeper-than-usual) breathing which is characteristic of an arousal to a more shallow state of sleep.

It's pretty clear in SH correlating the machine's response to the flow limitation occurring. The Resmed does this (and fairly quickly) but the PR site states that they do this specifically in relation to RERAs.

Both the ResMed algorithm and the PR algorithm respond to FL, but RedMed's responds more aggressively.

PR is saying that, in addition to responding to FL, when recovery breaths are seen which look like a RERA has occurred this event results in an additional amount of pressure increase beyond what would have happened if the FL had ended without the recovery breathing having occurred.

As far as we know, the ResMed algorithm does not specifically respond to RERA events even in the newer machines which do report RERA events. It is unclear whether the aggressiveness of the ResMed algorithm fully (or more than fully?) makes up for this apparent lack.

[marcus10]

Thanks very much for that additional info, that has really cleared things up for me on the differing algorithms.

[Mosquitobait]

When the Resmed Airsense was first released, it did not have RERA detection. Machines produced in the first 6-9 months do not have that capability. The For Her model was the first to have RERA detection, it was later brought to the regular Autoset. Respironics had the detection since the PRS1 60 series across the CPAP and BiPAP lines. Resmed still has not put the capability in to Aircurve.

I thought this was fixed with a software upgrade? I assume not since you are usually pretty up-to-date. What was that software upgrade about then?

The good news though is that if your AHI is being treated, your RDI is well treated. I had an AHI of 4 and an RDI of 32 (nearly all of which show up during near REM and REM only). My AHI is nearly always under 1 unless I have leaks and as mentioned, rarely an RERA. But it is annoying if you were expecting such reporting and it isn't there.

[Sleeprider]

The Resmed software update in March, 2015 resolved a humidity issue. http://www.rmdassets.com/airsolutions/ai...%20V15.pdf

Early Airsense 10 machines between September 2014 and about September 2015 did not detect RERA except the for Her model. The history of the machine is pretty well documented in the 22 page All you wanted to know about the Airsense 10 http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...irsense-10

[fitmart]

I know that this is an old post, but I needed to reply anyway.

1. The Airsense 10 does in fact estimate RERA's, they just don't provide it in the "myAir" site you get to see.  So please download Sleepyhead software and get an SD card so you can actually see the useful info the CPAP has.
   
2. The Airsense 10 may Estimate RERAs, but that does not mean they are accurate.  I don't know how they could be.  I did a test with it one night using an oximeter and discovered most of what Airsense thought was a RERA was actually hypopnea.
   
3. Like yourself, I have low AHI (8) and Higher RERA (15).  I adjusted my machine all the way down to a pressure of 5, the AHI dropped to 4 and I felt great in the morning.  I guess that is our only way to gauge.
   

fitmart