TY - JOUR T1 - Accuracy of multiple pulse oximeter brands in stable critically ill patients - Oxygap study JF - Respiratory Care DO - 10.4187/respcare.10582 SP - respcare.10582 AU - Marie-Anne Blanchet AU - Gabriel Mercier AU - Antoine Delobel AU - Emi Nayet AU - Pierre-Alexandre Bouchard AU - Serge Simard AU - Erwan L’Her AU - Richard Branson AU - François Lellouche Y1 - 2023/01/03 UR - http://rc.rcjournal.com/content/early/2023/01/03/respcare.10582.abstract N2 - An accurate SpO2 value is critical in order to optimally titrate oxygen delivery to patients and to follow oxygenation guidelines. Limited prospective data exist on real world performance of pulse oximeters in critically ill patients. The objective of this study was to assess accuracy and bias of the SpO2 values measured by several oximeters in hospitalized patients.We included stable adults in the intensive care unit with an arterial catheter in place. Main exclusion criteria were poor SpO2 signal, and SpO2 > 96%. In each subject, we simultaneously evaluated four oximeters: Nonin (Plymouth, MN) embedded in the FreeO2 device (Oxynov, QC, Canada), Masimo (Radical 7, Irvine, CA), Philips (FAST, Eindhoven, Netherlands), and Nellcor (N600, Pleasanton, CA). Arterial blood gases were drawn and simultaneously, each oximeters’ SpO2 values were collected. SpO2 values were compared to the reference (SaO2 value) to determine bias and accuracy. The ability for oximeters to detect hypoxemia and the impact of oximeters on oxygen titration were evaluated.We included 193 subjects (153 men, mean age 66·3 years) in whom 211 sets of measurements were performed. The skin pigmentation evaluated by Fitzpatrick scale showed 96.2% of subjects were light skin (types 1 and 2). One oximeter overestimated SaO2 (Philips, +0·9%) while the three others underestimated SaO2 (Nonin -3·1%, Nellcor -0·3%, Masimo -0·2%). SaO2 was underestimated with Nonin oximeter in 91·3% of the cases while it was overestimated in 55·2% of the cases with Philips oximeter. Moderate hypoxemia (SaO2 86–90% or PaO2 55–60 mmHg) was detected in 92%, 33%, 42% and 11% of the cases with Nonin, Nellcor, Masimo and Philips respectively.We found significant bias and moderate accuracy between the tested oximeters and the arterial blood gases, in the studied population. These discrepancies may have important clinical impact on the detection of hypoxemia and management of oxygen therapy. ER -