Low Spontaneous Cycled Breaths %

[StuUnderPressure]

In the last couple of weeks the Spontaneous Cycled Breaths % has sometimes dropped into the mid 80% range.

It usually averages in the high 90% range.

Do I need to change my ResMed AirCurve 10 (VAUTO) settings?

[robysue1]

In the last couple of weeks the Spontaneous Cycled Breaths % has sometimes dropped into the mid 80% range.
...
Do I need to change my ResMed AirCurve 10 (VAUTO) settings?

Since you didn't tell us what those settings are, we can't possibly answer your question. And even if we just had the settings, we're not really in a position to offer advice on whether they should be changed: It all depends on what your detailed data says and whether there's been some kind of a change in the number and distribution of events (OAs, CAs, Hs, RERAs, flow limitations, and snores) that are recorded by your machine.

But to give you a tiny bit of background: "Cycle" is when the machine goes from IPAP to EPAP. A spontaneously cycled breath is one where your exhalation triggers the drop in pressure to EPAP. The settings that control when the machine might "cycle" to EPAP before you start your exhalation would include Ti_Max and Cycle. If Ti_Max is set to something shorter than your longest inhalations, the machine might switch to EPAP too soon. If Cycle is set to "High" or "Very High", the machine may be tricked into thinking you are starting to exhale before your inhalation is done.

"Trigger" is the setting that controls when the machine goes from EPAP to IPAP. If Trigger is set to "High" or "Very High", it may wait until after you think you've started to inhale to increase the pressure. If Trigger is set to "Low" or "Very Low", it may start increasing the pressure to IPAP before you feel like you are done with your exhalation. If Ti_Min is set to something that is longer than your shortest inhalations, then the machine may maintain IPAP pressure past when you start to exhale on your shortest breaths.

Finally, I would offer this advice: Be sure you know what it is you want to accomplish before you change any of these settings: Trigger, Cycle, Ti_Min, and Ti_Max. If they're not set appropriately, it can create a sensation where the machine is out-of-sync with your breathing. And if the machine seems out of sync with your breathing pattern, that can cause a whole bunch of problems with getting to sleep and staying asleep even if the AHI data seems to be totally unaffected.