• Loren G Yamamoto, Julienne A Yamamoto, Joelle B Yamamoto, Brennan E Yamamoto, and Patricia P Yamamoto.
• Emergency Department, Kapiolani Medical Center For Women And Children, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. loreny@hawaii.edu
• Resp Care. 2008 Nov 1; 53 (11): 1470-4.

BackgroundThe effect of nail polish on pulse oximetry measurements in non-hypoxic subjects has been studied extensively. Some studies found that nail polish decreased pulse-oximetry (S(pO(2))) values, whereas others found no effects from nail polish.ObjectiveTo determine if nail polish affects S(pO(2)) measurements in mildly hypoxic subjects.MethodsAt high altitude, 5 investigators, whose mean oxygen saturation was 91.3% (mild hypoxia), and with 2 brands of pulse oximeter and oximetry probe, obtained S(pO(2)) measurements from a finger with nail polish and from the matching finger on the opposite hand without nail polish. We tested 9 different nail-polish colors and made 210 pairs of S(pO(2)) measurements.ResultsThe mean +/- SD S(pO(2)) values from the fingers with and without nail polish, respectively, were 91.4+/-4.1% and 91.2+/-3.5% (difference 0.2+/-3.2%, 95% confidence interval -0.2% to 0.4%).ConclusionsWith the pulse oximeters and oximetry probes we tested, nail-polish had no significant effect on S(pO(2)) in mildly hypoxic healthy subjects.

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