The influence of skin pigmentation on pulse oximetry readings: a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Pulse oximeters are widely used crucial devices to triage and monitor sign of diseases and make informed decisions on patients’ health. Various studies have found a bias in pulse oximetry readings based on skin pigmentation/ ethnicity. This protocol outlines a systematic review and meta-analysis approach that will assess the effect of different skin pigmentation levels on the accuracy of pulse oximetry readings. Methods and analysis We will conduct search in Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science database. Studies carried out either on healthy population or population with critical illness measuring pulse oximetry (SpO2) versus SaO2 obtained by standard CO-oximetry based on skin pigmentation and/or ethnicity and reported in the form of overall accuracy, bias, precision, or agreement will be included in this study. Four dedicated reviewers will independently assess and extract data from the included studies in a pre-specified excel format for further analysis. Any discordance in the way will be resolved by discussion until consensus is reached. JBI’s critical appraisal tool for diagnostic test accuracy test will be used to assess study quality for the included studies. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval is not required because no original data will be collected as part of this review. The final review will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication and presented at conferences.