Inaccurate pulse oximeter readings could limit transplants, heart pumps for Black patients with heart failure

University of Michigan researchers find that racially biased pulse oximeter readings may further limit opportunities for Black patients with heart failure — who are already less likely to get treatment — to receive potentially lifesaving therapies, such as heart pumps and transplants.

A smartphone’s camera and flash could help people measure blood oxygen levels at home

Conditions like asthma or COVID-19 make it harder for bodies to absorb oxygen from the lungs. In a proof-of-principle study, University of Washington and University of California San Diego researchers have shown that smartphones are capable of detecting blood oxygen saturation levels down to 70%. This is the lowest value that pulse oximeters should be able to measure, as recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Signs of COVID-19 Mortality May be Easily Measured at Home

Two easily measurable signs of health are distinctly predictive of higher mortality among patients hospitalized with COVID-19, according to a study examining the cases of inpatients with COVID-19 at Rush University Medical Center and University of Washington Medicine hospitals.