Sendoa Ballesteros. RN, Ph.D

Irrintzi Fernández. RN, Ph.D

Artzai Picón. EngD, Ph.D

Sergio Lorrio. RN, MD

Authors declare no conflict of interest.

INTRODUCTION

We always must removenail polish before

checking pulse oximetry!

Always?

Pulse oximetry is an essential parameter in the clinical assessment of the patient

INTRODUCTIONEmergency

Patient says “NOOO”

Nail polishremover no available

Can we use pulse oximetryon polished nails?

Vade retro! Don’t touchmy nails!

THE AIM OF OUR STUDY

Does nail polish affect oxygen saturation readings

in patients undergoing pulse oximetry?

The PICO question…

METHODS

A PRISMA* based sistematic review. 6 data bases: Medline, WOS, Scopus, IBECS, CINAHL, Embase.

Clinical trials and observational studies. Limits: from 01/1999 to 02/2014. No language limits.

2 independent reviewers. Quality evaluation: AATMC.

* BMJ 2009;339:b2700

Search strategy:oximetry AND nails AND polish

RESULTS

12 non randomised trials. Mild quality.

Volunteers vs patients. Normoxia vs hipoxia. Several models of oxymeters.

RESULTS

Accuracy error <2,0%. Statistically significant differences. Clinically non relevant.

Differences between oxymetermodels: oldest vs newest devices. Clinically non relevant.

DISCUSSION

What physics shows us…

Stationary tissues

Capillary and vonous blood

Arterial blood

Time

DC

AC

LED(R) LED(IR)

Sensor(R) Sensor(IR)

AC component: 5% of signal. A high absorption coefficientdecreases AC component.

CONCLUSIONS

Although nail polish can generate a statisticallysignificant variation on

oxygen saturation readings, this disturb hasn’t got a

clinical relevance.

To use pulse oximeters onpolished fingernails can offera clinically valid reading of

oxygen saturation.

PARTNERSHIPS:

Eskerrik askoThank you

ACKNOWLEDGMENT :

Free full text research will be available at EMERGENCIAS®