Differences in partial oxygen saturation obtained from three pulse oximeters

Area of Science:

• Medical Devices
• Clinical Measurement
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• Variability in partial oxygen saturation measurements exists between different pulse oximeters.
• Accurate oxygen saturation monitoring is crucial for patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the measurement variability of three distinct pulse oximeters in a clinical setting.
• To determine the reliability of different pulse oximeter devices for patient monitoring.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 255 consecutive patients.
• Demographic, occupational, and disease data were collected.
• Variability was assessed using Bland-Altman analysis and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).

Main Results:

• The study included patients with a mean age of 61 years, predominantly female and smokers, with COPD being a common condition.
• Onyx II and Hergom pulse oximeters demonstrated low measurement variability (ICC > 0.949).
• The Rossmax SB220 showed substantial variability (ICC = 0.784), indicating poor agreement.

Conclusions:

• Onyx II and Hergom pulse oximeters are reliable for clinical use due to their low variability.
• The Rossmax SB220 is not recommended for clinical practice owing to its high measurement variability.