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confused by my sleep study results

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anbr3 +0 points · almost 6 years ago Original Poster

I am a 32 year old male, 6'0 tall, and 225 pounds (BMI of 31). I had an at home sleep study done in 2016, to which my doctor said "your study is pretty normal so no need to investigate further". The doctor has since left the practice and I decided this week to pick up a bunch of reports from all my doctors over the years just to have for my records. The sleep study report said:

a total of 14 respiratory events were observed. 0 obstructive apnea’s, 5 central apnea’s, 0 mixed apnea’s and 9 hypos was for a normal AHI of 1.9 events/hr.

The average saturation was 75%. Patient was at or below 88% oximetry for 19% of the study time. The lowest saturation was 89%.

Highest heart rate 91bpm. Lowest was 47bpm. Average was 59bpm.

Impressions: no evidence of sleep disorder led breathing. Significant desaturations noted.

I am very confused by the saturation part of the study. How can my average saturation be 75% yet my lowest saturation be 89%? Also, why was this conveyed to me as a normal report. I am very confused about all of this.

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sleeptech +0 points · almost 6 years ago Sleep Enthusiast

None of that part makes sense. It's gotta be a stuff up somehow. Probably the doctor just ignored that part because it is clearly wrong.

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wiredgeorge +0 points · almost 6 years ago Sleep Enthusiast

I believe "stuff up" would be Aussie for messed up, in error, wrong, etc. I would personally talk to my family doctor and ask that a SPO2 test be done; I suspect they might have a meter you wear during your night that records and get those numbers straight. The doctor who let that messy report get by is irresponsible. He/she didn't write the report but was responsible for interpreting the results and even a math dummy like me knows ALL the numbers are suspect. Avg = 7, below 88 percent 19 percent of the time with the lowest 89 percent? Geesh... someone was in a hurry to get out the door.

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sleeptech +0 points · almost 6 years ago Sleep Enthusiast

Crikey, I had no idea that my lingo would leave youse blokes so bamboozled. Well, strike a light, I guess I'll just go and throw another shrimp on the barbie. Or something.

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holden4th +0 points · almost 6 years ago

Your AHI is great but your SPO2 levels are not good! The one thing I can't understand is the 75% average saturation - it has to be a typo as this figure is approaching hypoxemia and it doesn't agree with the rest of the figures. I would get this looked at right away as it might be an initial indicator of something going wrong. Your wide HR range is also not normal. Logic suggests that if your SPO2 dropped significantly then your HR might increase to try and cope.

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