The author presents the problems related to pulse oximetry, considering both the current state-of-the-art as well as her own long-standing experience in this field The COVID-19 pandemic continues and has raised interest in home application of pulse oximeters due to their potential benefit, which may be warning of a drop in blood oxygenation due to lower respiratory capacity However, it should be emphasized that these devices have limitations, both of a physiological and technical nature, and some problems related to the reliability and scope of the measurements still remain unresolved There are presented phenomena which limit processing reliability of the quantity to be sensed, i e , oxygen saturation SaO2% There are distinguished specific groups of contributing factors, at an attempt to reveal their effect on measurement uncertainty © 2021 Photonics Society of Poland
Problems with evaluating readings of pulse oximeters used at home during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic