What does a recent FDA funded study on pulse oximeters show? Elizabeth Tracey reports

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Do devices that measure oxygen levels in blood, known as pulse oximeters, measure too high or too low in those with darker skin? That’s the question now that results of an FDA funded study seem to contradict those of previous research showing that the devices measured too high. Rohan Mathur, a critical care expert at Johns Hopkins, says there are compelling things about this latest study.

Mathur: This was all done at a single ICU. They followed over 600 or so patients who were ill in the ICU. They collected paired measurements. They measured both the oxygen saturation using the device and a blood test at the exact same time. That was a little different from the previous studies. They made sure that the patient's oxygen levels weren't fluctuating too much when they were doing this and what they found was that there was a discrepancy but it actually went in the opposite direction from what the previous study showed. Surprise, surprise, science is messy and the real world is messy.  :31

Mathur says this result clearly needs to be confirmed with additional research. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.