Key result
The buccal mucosal oximeter accurately measured arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation during progressive hypoxia, demonstrating an accuracy root-mean-square of 2.94% compared to arterial blood CO-oximetry.
Why the study?
Personalized oximeters suitable for multi-night monitoring of SpO2 are not readily available for patients experiencing decreased arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation during sleep.
Does a buccal mucosal oximeter accurately measure arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation compared to CO-oximetry in healthy individuals during controlled hypoxia?
Observational (n=12)
No
Does a buccal mucosal oximeter accurately measure arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation compared to CO-oximetry in healthy individuals during controlled hypoxia?
Effect estimate: ARMS 2.94%
A novel buccal mucosal oximeter demonstrated robust accuracy in measuring arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation and pulse rate during controlled hypoxia, suggesting potential utility for long-term monitoring in sleep apnea.
Offers a novel, non-invasive approach for long-term nocturnal hypoxemia.
Purpose: While arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation (SaO 2 ) decreases during sleep in many patients with sleep apnea and pulmonary diseases, personalized oximeters suitable for multi-night monitoring of SpO 2 are not readily available. The present report describes a custom buccal mucosal intraoral oximeter that might provide the opportunity for such long-term monitoring given its strong accuracy in measuring SpO 2 over a range of clinically relevant hypoxemia. Patients and Methods: The intraoral buccal mucosal oximeter was constructed by encapsulating a reflectance pulse oximeter in an overlay of the maxillary dentition. Accuracy was assessed during non-motion conditions in normal participants (n = 12) made progressively hypoxic by decreasing the partial pressure of end-tidal oxygen (PETO 2 ). CO-oximeter values of SaO 2 from arterial blood constituted the “gold standard” for comparison with the buccal mucosal oximeter’s values. The oximeter’s pulse rate and an electrocardiogram (ECG) determined heart rate were also compared. Results: Analysis of 325 paired SaO 2 values from the CO-oximeter and buccal mucosal oximeter yielded the following: r = 0.95; bias = 0.72; and accuracy root-mean-square (A RMS ) = 2.94%. Results from the pulse rate/ECG analysis were: r = 0.99; bias = 0.30; and A RMS = 2.08 bpm. Conclusion: These results reveal robust accuracy of the buccal mucosal oximeter measurement of SaO 2 and pulse rate, as shown by good agreement with a “gold standard” over a wide range of arterial hypoxemia. Such clinically acceptable accuracy indicates that this novel reflectance oximeter may prove useful in management of patients with sleep-induced hypoxemia by allowing for long-term monitoring of SaO 2 .
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Snow et al. (2025) conducted an observational in Healthy individuals (progressive hypoxia) (n=12). Buccal mucosal oximeter vs. Arterial blood CO-oximetry was evaluated on SpO2 accuracy (Accuracy root-mean-square, ARMS) over 70-100% SaO2 (ARMS 2.94%). The buccal mucosal oximeter accurately measured arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation during progressive hypoxia, demonstrating an accuracy root-mean-square of 2.94% compared to arterial blood CO-oximetry.
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