Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
Determine whether ambient light affects the accuracy of pulse oximetry readings.
DESIGN:
Prospective, repeated-measures study.
SETTING:
A photographic darkroom.
SUBJECTS:
Forty-five faculty and students at a university, none of whom had pale skin, dark skin, or evidence of cardiopulmonary disease. Any nail polish was removed.
METHODS:
Five light sources were individually tested: incandescent, quartz-halogen, infrared, fluorescent, and bilirubin light. A pulse oximetry probe was placed on the subject's finger, and the finger and probe were placed sideways under each light source, on a predetermined mark.
RESULTS:
The greatest difference in pulse oximetry reading between any of the light sources was 0.5%. Repeated-measures analysis of variance yielded a p value of 0.204.
CONCLUSIONS:
Ambient light has no statistically significant effect on pulse oximetry readings. Even had the differences been statistically significant, the magnitude of the differences was small and thus clinically unimportant.
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