London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Non-white ICU patients get less oxygen treatment than needed -study

Non-white ICU patients get less oxygen treatment than needed -study

A flaw in a widely used medical device that measures oxygen levels causes critically ill Asians, Blacks and Hispanics to receive less supplemental oxygen to help them breathe than white patients, according to data from a large study published on Monday.
Pulse oximeters clip onto a fingertip and pass red and infrared light through the skin to gauge oxygen levels in the blood. It has been known since the 1970s that skin pigmentation can throw off readings, but the discrepancies were not believed to affect patient care.

Among 3,069 patients treated in a Boston intensive care unit (ICU) between 2008 and 2019, people of color were given significantly less supplemental oxygen than would be considered optimal compared to white people because of inaccuracies in pulse oximeter readings related to their skin pigment, the study found.

"Nurses and doctors make the wrong decisions and end up giving less oxygen to people of color because they are fooled" by incorrect readings from pulse oximeters, said Dr. Leo Anthony Celi of Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who oversaw the study

For the study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, pulse oximetry readings were checked against direct measurement of blood oxygen levels, which is not practical in the average patient because it requires a painful invasive procedure.

The authors of a separate study involving patients with COVID-19 published recently in the same journal saw "occult hypoxemia" - an oxygen saturation level below 88% despite pulse oximeter readings of 92% to 96% - in 3.7% of blood samples from Asian patients, 3.7% of samples from Black patients, 2.8% of samples from non-Black Hispanic patients versus just 1.7% of samples from white patients. Whites accounted for only 17.2% of all patients with occult hypoxemia.

The authors concluded that racial and ethnic biases in pulse oximetry accuracy have resulted in delayed or withheld treatments among Black and Hispanic patients with COVID-19.

Pulse oximetry can also be affected by obesity, medications used in critically ill patients, and other factors, Celi said.

Imarc Group market research firm forecast the global pulse oximeter market reaching $3.25 billion by 2027, following 2021 sales of $2.14 billion.

"We think it's very reasonable at this point to call upon purchasers and manufacturers to make changes (to the devices), Dr. Eric Ward, coauthor of an editorial published with the study, told Reuters.

Medtronic Plc (MDT.N) executive Frank Chan said in an emailed statement that the company confirms accuracy of its pulse oximeters "by taking synchronized blood samples at each level of blood oxygen content and comparing the pulse ox readings with measurements made from the blood sample."

He added that Medtronic tests its devices on a higher than required number of participants with dark skin pigmentation, "to ensure our technology will perform as intended for all patient populations."

Pulse oximeter maker Phillips Healthcare did not respond to a request for comment.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×