Abstract
BACKGROUND:
The effect of nail polish on pulse oximetry measurements in non-hypoxic subjects has been studied extensively. Some studies found that nail polish decreased pulse-oximetry (SpO2 ) values, whereas others found no effects from nail polish.
OBJECTIVE:
To determine if nail polish affects SpO2 measurements in mildly hypoxic subjects.
METHODS:
At high altitude, 5 investigators, whose mean oxygen saturation was 91.3% (mild hypoxia), and with 2 brands of pulse oximeter and oximetry probe, obtained SpO2 measurements from a finger with nail polish and from the matching finger on the opposite hand without nail polish. We tested 9 different nail-polish colors and made 210 pairs of SpO2 measurements.
RESULTS:
The mean ± SD SpO2 values from the fingers with and without nail polish, respectively, were 91.4 ± 4.1% and 91.2 ± 3.5% (difference –0.2 ± 3.2%, 95% confidence interval 0.2% to 0.4%).
CONCLUSIONS:
With the pulse oximeters and oximetry probes we tested, nail-polish had no significant effect on SpO2 in mildly hypoxic healthy subjects.
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