In critically ill adults, accuracy of pulse oximeters for detecting hypoxemia varied by skin tone

Key Points

• Examine how the accuracy of pulse oximeters in detecting hypoxemia differs based on skin tone in critically ill adults.
• Evaluated pulse oximeter readings in critically ill adults of varying skin tones.
• Utilized clinical assessment of hypoxemia as a reference standard for accuracy comparisons.
• Variation in accuracy of pulse oximeters was noted based on skin tone, affecting detection of hypoxemia.