12-05-2018, 08:04 PM
(This post was last modified: 12-05-2018, 08:04 PM by Walla Walla.)
What study decided on a AHI of 5.
I've looked all over and I can't find the study that determined that less than 5 AHI was considered normal for an adult. Was it just a conference of Doctors who pulled a number out of the hat or what? Everyone cites another web site that reports that number but no one explains how it came to be.
Any one have insight?
RE: What study decided on a AHI of 5.
Did you find references to the categories of mild, moderate, and severe? How was it determined that 5-15 is mild?
Sleepster
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RE: What study decided on a AHI of 5.
(12-05-2018, 09:25 PM)Sleepster Wrote: Did you find references to the categories of mild, moderate, and severe? How was it determined that 5-15 is mild?
I found the categories. I'm trying to find how they were determined.
RE: What study decided on a AHI of 5.
It was the Medicare 2005 National Coverage Determination (NCD) for CPAP Therapy for OSA (CAG-00093R) to allow coverage of CPAP based upon a diagnosis of OSA. The magic number of 5 AHI is only where other comorbidities are present, otherwise it is 15HI in healthy individuals.
Quote:A positive test for OSA is established if either of the following criterion using the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) or Respiratory Disturbance Index (RDI) are met:
- AHI or RDI greater than or equal to 15 events per hour, or
- AHI or RDI greater than or equal to 5 and less than or equal to 14 events per hour with documented symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness, impaired cognition, mood disorders or insomnia, or documented hypertension, ischemic heart disease, or history of stroke.
The AHI is equal to the average number of episodes of apnea and hypopnea per hour. The RDI is equal to the average number of respiratory disturbances per hour.
The NCD was revised in 2008 to allow Home Sleep Studies in addition to PSG.
https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-da...?NCAId=204
That's the best I've got, but I'm sure there are studies that back up the NCD decision.
RE: What study decided on a AHI of 5.
I think I found what was looking for in this link.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/article...75/?page=1
It mentions that the choice of a >5/hour AHI was almost entirely arbitrary.
RE: What study decided on a AHI of 5.
As stated they picked a number that they felt would work for most people. I am sure the effective number varies person to person. I started cpap in 2006 and for me the magic AHI number is 3. Higher than that results in me feeling tired and needing a nap the next day.
