PulmCrit (EMCrit)
PulmCrit - December 21, 2020 - By Josh Farkas
"Summary: The Bullet
- Pulse oximetry may overestimate oxygen saturation among patients with dark skin, often by ~2% when using hospital bedside monitors. This may have substantial treatment implications for patients with borderline oxygen saturation (e.g., saturation ~90%).
- Bias in pulse oximeters varies substantially between different devices. Available evidence suggests that Nonin clip-on pulse oximeters seem to be accurate regardless of skin color.
- Trending pulse oximetry over time should remain an accurate tool to monitor clinical progress.
- Further studies defining the performance of different devices among diverse populations are urgently needed.
- It is possible to design pulse oximeters which function well regardless of skin color. Fully dismantling the systemic racism of pulse oximetry will require demanding devices which are universally accurate."