System and Method for Automated Titration of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Using an Obstruction Index

Abstract

Described is a system including an air pressure supply arrangement, a sensor and a titration device. The air pressure supply arrangement provides air pressure to a patient's airways. The sensor detects input data corresponding to a patient's breathing patterns of a plurality of breaths. The titration device receives and analyzes the input data to determine existence of breathing disorder and corresponding characteristics. The titration device generates output data for adjusting the air pressure supplied to the patient as a function of an index of abnormal respiratory events included in the input data.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A device for supplying air to a patient in need of positive airway pressure (PAP) comprising:
 an air supply arrangement configured to administer a PAP flow to the patient's airways; and   a control device configured to continuously adjust a pressure of the PAP flow as a function of an obstruction index of different abnormal respiratory events in the patient's breathing patterns.   
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein the abnormal respiratory events include at least one of an apnea, a hypopnea, an event of upper airway resistance, snoring and a flow limitation. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein the obstruction index includes a sum of the different abnormal respiratory events. 
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein the obstruction index includes a sum of a plurality of indices of elevated resistance. 
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein the index includes at least one of (i) an apnea/hypopnea index (AHI), (ii) a number of discrete flow limitation events per hour, and (iii) an amount of time in sustained flow limitation. 
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the obstruction index includes a sum of (i) the AHI, (ii) the number of discrete flow limitation events per hour, and (iii) the amount of time in sustained flow limitation. 
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein when the obstruction index is lower than a predefined value, the pressure of the PAP flow is decreased, and when the obstruction index is greater than the predefined value, the pressure of the PAP flow is increased. 
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein the patient has obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). 
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein the control devices is configured to receive input data corresponding to the patient's airflow from one or more sensors and analyze the input data to determine the patient's breathing patterns. 
     
     
         33 . A method of treating a patient with obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS), comprising:
 administering a PAP flow to the patient's airways; and   continuously adjusting a pressure of the PAP flow as a function of an obstruction index of different abnormal respiratory events in the patient's breathing patterns.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the abnormal respiratory events include at least one of an apnea, a hypopnea, an event of upper airway resistance, snoring and a flow limitation. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the obstruction index includes a sum of the different abnormal respiratory events. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the obstruction index includes a sum of a plurality of indices of elevated resistance. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the obstruction index includes at least one of (i) an apnea/hypopnea index (AHI), (ii) a number of discrete flow limitation events per hour, and (iii) an amount of time in sustained flow limitation. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the obstruction index includes a sum of (i) the AHI, (ii) the number of discrete flow limitation events per hour, and (iii) the amount of time in sustained flow limitation. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein when the obstruction index is lower than a predefined value, the pressure of the PAP flow is decreased, and when the obstruction index is greater than the predefined value, the pressure of the PAP flow is increased. 
     
     
         40 . A method for diagnosing a patient with an obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS), comprising:
 continuously obtaining input data from a sensor, the input data corresponding to a patient's breathing patterns;   continuously generating obstruction indices of different abnormal respiratory events in the patient's breathing patterns based on the input data; and   identifying sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in the patient's breathing patterns based on the obstruction indices.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising:
 administering a positive airway pressure (PAP) flow to the patient's airways when the SDB corresponds to OSAHA, wherein a pressure of the PAP flow is determined as a function of the obstruction indices.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the abnormal respiratory events include at least one of an apnea, a hypopnea, an event of upper airway resistance, snoring and a flow limitation. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the obstruction index includes a sum of the different abnormal respiratory events. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the obstruction index includes a sum of a plurality of indices of elevated resistance. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the obstruction index includes at least one of (i) an apnea/hypopnea index (AHI), (ii) a number of discrete flow limitation events per hour, and (iii) an amount of time in sustained flow limitation. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein the obstruction index includes a sum of (i) the AHI, (ii) the number of discrete flow limitation events per hour, and (iii) the amount of time in sustained flow limitation. 
     
     
         47 . A device for diagnosing a patient with an obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS), comprising:
 a sensor continuously detecting input data corresponding to the patient's breathing patterns;   a memory that includes executable instructions; and   a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor executing the instructions cause the processor to perform operations, comprising, continuously receiving input data from the sensor, continuously generating obstruction indices of different abnormal respiratory events in the patient's breathing patterns based on the input data, and identifying sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in the patient's breathing patterns based on the obstruction indices.