(5 out of 5) by David M, AZ

"If you are using an auto-titrating Respironics machine, this software takes a lot of guesswork out of adjusting the settings. But you need to have some basic understanding of sleep studies and sleep physiology, or you might misinterpret the data. (It's not that complicated, and the information is likely available on the net). I am a physician, so I do have this knowledge, but keep this in mind when you read this review.

Aside from giving usage statistics (for compliance monitoring), it presents the data in an easy to figure out graph that allows you to fine-tune your settings eg minimum and maximum pressures for the auto titration.

For example, in the first few days of use I determined the minimum pressure needed was at least 8cm as this was the level above which the Vibratory Snore events decreased. Over several days, I settled on 9cm, and am presently adjusting the A-flex setting downwards to further reduce snoring without increasing the minimum pressure (the Snore occurs on expiration, so limiting the drop in pressure that occurs with A-flex will further reduce the snore).

I am also able to analyze the frequency of mask leaks, which has aided in setting the maximum pressures (major leaks have only occurred above 18cm with my nasal pillows). I also anticipate being able to judge the effectiveness of various setups (with/without chin strap, different masks etc).

Keep in mind you should be using recommended pressures from a sleep study if available, but I haven't undergone a formal sleep study.

The limitations of the software are mainly the lack of certain types of data available in a sleep study, eg rem vs non-rem phases of sleep, positioning, oxygen desaturation, arousals vs non-arousals, which would be helpful in analyzing some of the data (eg early in the morning I get more frequent episodes of apnea, which I suspect is during rem sleep but without this information it's hard to determine if any adjustments can be made-looking at the data the graphs suggest events increase above a certain pressure, but I'm not certain this is truly the case).

Another limitation is that it won't allow you to delete the data on the smart card. I will worry about this in six months from now, when the card fills up.

(Another possible issue relates to the machine's readings-how accurate is the data, is it sensed in the same way as the sleep study machines detect events, or by using some other approximation? I assume it's flow based sensors but aside from this, none of the manufacturers publish specs such as sensitivity, error etc. This is an inherent limitation to any auto-titrating machine.)

I you like to tinker, you can do your own split studies- set your machine for 4cm for the first 3-4 hours, then auto titrate for the rest. You can even analyze your spouse for sleep apnea! (Disclaimer: don't do this yourself unless you're a certified sleep specialist, yada, yada)"

(5 out of 5) by Charles C, CO

""One always gets what one wants but it is usually a little bit different." THE PROGRAM WORKS FINE. I miss the ability to accomplish what was available in Encore Pro Data management program that Respironics pulled from the retail market. I WRONGLY thought this capability would be part of the program. Upon rereading the description of the program again after I installed it, I think CPAP.com could emphasize this fact that only results would be given without the ability of the customer to manage the data. It wouldn't hurt to publish a document that gave a range of norms for each category and possible courses of action that the report yields. This present program forces us to constantly call the Doctor or the DME to find out what is good or bad or what adjustments to make. I can assume that Respironics pulled this from the retail marketplace from both a legal exposure point of view and high volume customer support requests from the retail customers. C'est La Vie."