Pulse Oximetry in Outpatients with COVID-19

In a single-center study, 25% of outpatients with COVID-19 had home oxygen saturations <92% and nearly one in three of these patients required intensive care unit admission.

Hypoxemia out of proportion to respiratory effort — “silent hypoxemia” — has been reported in patients with COVID-19. Given our lack of understanding of reliable predictors of severity in patients with COVID-19 who may appear well enough to be discharged, some authors have recommended the use of outpatient pulse oximetry to identify decompensating patients.

This study included 77 outpatients (median age, 44 years) who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 in one hospital system, given pulse oximeters to take home, and ultimately diagnosed with COVID-19; 79% were enrolled from an emergency department (ED). Patients were instructed to record their oxygen saturation three times each day and return to the ED if the saturation was <92% or they felt they nee…

Reviewing Author

Lauren M. Westafer, DO, MPH, MS

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Editorial BoardsAnnals of Emergency Medicine

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAcademy for Academic Women in Emergency Medicine (Social Media Chair)

Lauren M. Westafer, DO, MPH, MS

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Editorial BoardsAnnals of Emergency Medicine

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAcademy for Academic Women in Emergency Medicine (Social Media Chair)

Pulse Oximetry in Outpatients with COVID-19

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Reviewing Author