biostudies-literatureMartin DSNational Institute for Health Research (NIHR)e085535https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12801414biostudies-literatureUnknown392<h4>Objectives</h4>To assess the impact of skin tone on the measurement and diagnostic accuracy of five fingertip pulse oximeters used by patients in the NHS (National Health Service) England COVID Oximetry @home scheme.<h4>Design</h4>Measurement and diagnostic accuracy study (exploring pulse oximeter accuracy across skin tones-EXAKT).<h4>Setting</h4>Twenty four intensive care units in England between June 2022 and August 2024.<h4>Participants</h4>903 critically ill adults admitted to intensive care units screened for or enrolled into a trial evaluating different approaches to oxygen therapy.<h4>Interventions</h4>Pulse oximetry derived peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO₂) measurements were compared with paired arterial oxygen saturation (SaO₂) measurements from arteriaBMJ (Clinical research ed.)The impact of skin tone on performance of pulse oximeters used by NHS England COVID Oximetry @home scheme: measurement and diagnostic accuracy study.PMC12801414NIHR135577NIHR302788Mouncey PJohn LAlhourani SWilliams ANimer MShahid TChristodoulopoulou TMulcahy MHebbes CSloan BBakthavatsalam DGurung SGhuman NJundi OKanu RHawkins CRowan KTully RPWilliams TMbema CAkeroyd LTGarrett RLloyd KMartins LShak JCordoba MMDangol SMattin AGeorge ARocha AGolden DKent LPrabhahar TOlusanya OAneesh LBuckley SDawson DSayan ABurnish RGray RManalo CBMartin DSGould DSaha RSpikes KEFarnell-Ward SEXAKT Study InvestigatorsYun NCharles WNKomolafe OAdam JLawton TOSalmon KDavey MValcher MPipira LDurrant DKazi ASweet KAhmed QTTreus EGill PHill DGourishankar MPakou GAchilleos ATeoh PCHussain NReece-Anthony RCarter MBroderick APogreban TPopescu MFrancis Johnson AKariyadil BThanasi MMathews PFernandes EPhull MKDsouza FMajor ASeaman RMaharajh AO'Reilly KSupermanian SSundaran DVentura VNasr IMathews MWard GPenkett SDoidge JCLeaver SVizcaychipi MPLonsdale DDearden JBlessen CHambrook GCowden AWardhere IDe Neef MChana SHarrison DADushianthan AKarangoda DAli NTruman NSpooner BBHollos LBillyard TSmith MHealy ELuck GCunliffe VGonzales JKhan TDean MfalseThe impact of skin tone on performance of pulse oximeters used by NHS England COVID Oximetry @home scheme: measurement and diagnostic accuracy study.<h4>Objectives</h4>To assess the impact of skin tone on the measurement and diagnostic accuracy of five fingertip pulse oximeters used by patients in the NHS (National Health Service) England COVID Oximetry @home scheme.<h4>Design</h4>Measurement and diagnostic accuracy study (exploring pulse oximeter accuracy across skin tones-EXAKT).<h4>Setting</h4>Twenty four intensive care units in England between June 2022 and August 2024.<h4>Participants</h4>903 critically ill adults admitted to intensive care units screened for or enrolled into a trial evaluating different approaches to oxygen therapy.<h4>Interventions</h4>Pulse oximetry derived peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO₂) measurements were compared with paired arterial oxygen saturation (SaO₂) measurements from arteria2026-01-01T00:00:00Z2026 Jan2026-06-11T05:22:12.735Z2026-06-11T03:08:16.225ZS-EPMC128014144153491410.1136/bmj-2025-085535