Pulse oxygen monitors less accurate on darker skin, experts say

Experts have warned that pulse oxygen monitors may work less well on black and minority ethnic people, potentially increasing Covid mortality.

NHS England and medicines regulator, the MHRA, have said pulse oximeters may sometimes overestimate oxygen levels, giving “misleading” results.

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At a glance: 5 key points

- Pulse oximeters shine light through the blood to ascertain oxygen levels, and experts now believe skin pigmentation might affect the way in which light is absorbed.

- Anyone with concerns about the oximeters is being advised to look for changes over time rather than relying on a single reading.

-Pulse oximeters have been used to assess oxygen levels in coronavirus patients, with people from black, Asian and other ethnic minority groups both more like;y to get coronavirus and die or become seriously unwell from it.

-Experts now believe the potential inaccuracies in pulse oximeter readings for people from BAME backgrounds may be a contributing factor to this.

-The NHS has now issued updated guidance for patients who use at-home blood oxygen monitors to ensure people with darker skin aren’t affected by inaccurate results.

What’s been said

Director of the NHS Race and Health Observatory, Dr Habib Naqvi, said:

“We need to ensure there is common knowledge on potential limitations in healthcare equipment and devices, particularly for populations at heightened risk of life-changing illness, this includes black, Asian diverse communities using pulse oximeters to monitor their oxygen levels at home.”

Background

An NHS Health and Race Observatory report published in March urged the medicines regulator to carry out a review into the use of pulse oximeters on coronavirus patients.

The devices have been used in hospitals and in community settings during the coronavirus pandemic to assess oxygen levels.

Covid can cause a person’s oxygen levels to drop dangerously low without them noticing - a condition known as “silent hypoxia”. This can often prove deadly.

Additional reporting by PA.