Sleep study results :

AHI : 6 per hour
RDI : 69 per hour
RERA's per hour : 64

Average oxygen saturation is 95%.


According to what I have read, my AHI is mild and the oxygen saturation levels are just about normal.  As I understand it the RERA's are any respiratory event that interrupts sleep.  Since there are 'only' 6 apneas or hypopneas per hour, what are the other 58 or so respiratory events that are happening?  Has anyone had results like this ?

Hi newxgate,

The more I try to understand RERA's, the more confused I get.  But it doesn't take much to get me confused.  

But I've been told that RERA's are not quite hypopneas.  RERA's are respiratory effort arousals without a noticable reduction of oxygen desaturation, although I may have that not quite right.

Apneas are defined as total cessation of breathing, no airflow gets through, and of course there is a significant reduction of oxygen as a result.  Hypopneas are shallow breathing, or rather decreased airflow yet also accompanied by a reduction of oxygen.  Apparently RERA's don't quite meet the definition of hypopneas because there isn't the noticiable reduction of oxygen.  Yet, there is some resistant breathing that causes arousal, makes you wake up.  And what I've read says that RERA's can result in excessive daytime sleepiness because you are waking so often.

Your AHI is very low, categorized as mild by virtue of only one point.  It may be that RERA's are used to account for the bad symptoms associated with those with very mild apnea as defined as AHI.  And RERA's are described in medical discussions of UARS (Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome), something that still confuses me.  But as a sleep tech who runs a sleep lab told me in plain terms, RERA's are apnea/hypopnea wannabe's.  I'm learning that insurance companies won't pay for cpap treatment for patients with mild apnea (AHI of 5-14) unless there are symptoms described by the patient and doctor.  But I read somewhere online that sleep docs are recommending treatment for patients with the an RDI with large amounts of RERA's, with or without symptoms.  

How are your symptoms?  If you are fairly symptomatic, chances are it's those RERA's that are causing it.  And I believe that the RERA component of the RDI justifies the need and recommendation of cpap treatment for those who are symptomatic but have a mild AHI.  

...... But if an expert comes along and says I don't know diddley, you should believe the expert.  

It still all confuses me.  But sleep apnea if left untreated usually gets worse.  I wouldn't be surprised if those RERAs develop into hypopneas or apneas if the condition is left untreated.



Linda


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