Racial Disparities in Occult Hypoxemia and Clinically Based Mitigation Strategies to Apply in Advance of Technological Advancements

Measurement error in pulse oximetry is common for all racial groups, but occult hypoxemia occurred most commonly in Black subjects. The highly variable magnitude and direction of measurement error preclude an individualized mitigation approach. In advance of technological advancements, we recommend targeting a pulse oximetry saturation goal of 94-98% for all patients.