AirCurve VAUTO vs AST

[DayWalker]

Your numbers are such that you will not qualify for an ASV.

Thank you Sir. 

Hopefully, my vAuto will do the job as intended.

[Sleeprider]

Daywalker, while CA events are apnea events where the airway is not obstructed, they are not necessarily or even likely central apnea at this very low level. People hold their breath when they change positions at night, and sometimes pause breathing briefly when there are arousals or changes in sleep stage. You do not have central apnea by any stretch of the imagination!

[DayWalker]

Sleeprider, thank you for the reassurance. 

I guess the suspicion about OHS is also out the door. The doctor was a bit suspicious about OSH because I told him that my limbs were always cold, as long as I remember. Anyhow. I guess I am on the right path. Hopefully, my SpO2 levels are also in check but we will know in due time.

Cheers,

[Dormeo]

DayWalker, are you using Oscar?  If you'd like to share a chart, you might get some more feedback.

Thanks, DayWalker.  It can be helpful to keep all your therapy-type questions in one thread.

But now I'm puzzled why you are wondering about an ASV.  Can you say more about why that's on your mind?

[DayWalker]

Dormeo, 

I already got a VAuto for me, but I was wondering if ASV was more appropriate, since the pulmonologist was suggesting that I may also have OHS besides the OSA and ASV seems to be more appropriate for that, judging by the description of it. Just curiosity at this point. 

That is why I asked if they have the same modes, so in case ASV can do everything the VAuto can, I could easily swap it and be on the safe side, but apparently they are totally different applications and modes...

Cheers,

[Dormeo]

Got it! Thanks, DayWalker, and all my best.

[Sleeprider]

Daywalker, fill me in...OHS, what is it?

[alshayed]

DayWalker,

ASV is normally not appropriate for OHS unless it's very mild and CSA is considered the bigger problem. Since CSA doesn't appear to be an issue for you you would be looking at a ST-A device if diagnosed with OHS and the VAuto doesn't work out.

Neither ASV nor ST-A devices have VAuto mode. I think all three have S mode but not 100% sure. Check out http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...hich-modes

If you look up the ResMed Titration Guide it covers which treatment modes treat which flavor of sleep disordered breathing.

Basically OHS is treated with CPAP, bilevel VAuto, S, ST, or iVAPS. If your OSA is mild or moderate the studies I've read say start with bilevel instead of CPAP. Otherwise for severe OSA they say start with CPAP.

It sounds like your doc may have you on the right path. Normally if OHS is suspected you'd get other tests I guess but he's probably skipping that due to the Coronavirus or maybe it's just more practical to treat with VAuto first and then move on if needed.

[alshayed]

Daywalker, fill me in...OHS, what is it?

OHS is obesity hypoventilation syndrome. Criteria for further testing is (IIRC) > 30 BMI and blood bicarbonate (co2) >= 27 mmol/L. Next step is arterial blood gas testing.

[DayWalker]

I know... my doc said let's do ABG test and see but not right now, so he was guessing at the moment and wanted me to try an APAP, so they rented a AirSense Autosense 10. Besides the moderate to severe OSA at the time of testing, the only question was OHS, given that my SpO2 was dropping close to 70% and would not recover throughout the night until I wake up. Given the prices of these machines here in Europe, I'd rather get the one which will do all the work if needed in the future, but it seems that it doesn't work exactly like that with the different models.