Low perfusion and missed diagnosis of hypoxemia by pulse oximetry in darkly pigmented skin: a prospective study.

M. Koa Gudelunas; Michael Lipnick; Carolyn Hendrickson; Sky Vanderburg; Bunmi Okunlola; Isabella Auchus; John R Feiner; Philip E Bickler

Study

Low perfusion and missed diagnosis of hypoxemia by pulse oximetry in darkly pigmented skin: a prospective study.

March 6, 2024

Gudelunas MK, Lipnick M, Hendrickson C, et al. Anesth Analg. 2023;138(3):552-561.

View more articles from the same authors.

Pulse oximeters have been implicated in underdiagnosis of hypoxemia in patients with darker skin. This study compared matched pulse oximeter readings and arterial oxygen saturation during stable hypoxemia of patients with light, medium, and dark skin. In medium and dark subjects, bias (error) increased with low perfusion and degree of hypoxemia, with a combined frequency of missed diagnosis of hypoxemia for patients with dark skin of 21.1%.

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Device-Related Complications

Low perfusion and missed diagnosis of hypoxemia by pulse oximetry in darkly pigmented skin: a prospective study.

The I-READI Quality and Safety Framework: Strong Communications Channels and Effective Practices to Rapidly Update and Implement Clinical Protocols During a Time of Crisis

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Low perfusion and missed diagnosis of hypoxemia by pulse oximetry in darkly pigmented skin: a prospective study.

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