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Pulse oximetry in horses.
Abstract: The clinical usefulness of two pulse oximeters was evaluated at two probe sites in nine anesthetized horses. The hemoglobin saturation determined by the pulse oximeters (SaOx) was compared with the hemoglobin saturation calculated from the measured arterial oxygen tension (SaO2). The mean and standard deviation (SD) were calculated from the differences in saturation measurements, over the saturation range of 80% to 100%, for each oximeter used at the tongue probe site and for one oximeter used at the ear. The oximeter results tended to underestimate the SaO2 with mean differences of -3.7% on the tongue and -6.0% on the ear. The limits of agreement were defined as the mean difference +/- 2 SD. Each oximeter used at the tongue produced limits of agreement of +1% to -8%, which meant that 95% of the SaOx values were 1 percentage point above or 8 percentage points below the SaO2. The variability of the differences and limits of agreement were larger when the ear was used as the probe site and at saturations less than 80%. Although both oximeters tended to underestimate the SaO2, they appeared to be clinically useful in detecting changes in arterial hemoglobin saturation.
Publication Date: 1990-05-01 PubMed ID: 2349781DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-950x.1990.tb01179.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Anesthesia
- Clinical Findings
- Clinical Pathology
- Clinical Study
- Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Diagnostic Technique
- Disease control
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Management
- Disease Treatment
- Equine Health
- Hemoglobin
- Horses
- Medical Device
- Physiology
- Veterinary Care
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Practice
- Veterinary Procedure
- Veterinary Research
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
This study evaluated the reliability of two pulse oximeters when used on two different probe sites – the ear and the tongue – in nine anesthetized horses. The results showed that the oximeters slightly underestimated the saturation of hemoglobin, however, they proved to be useful in detecting changes in arterial hemoglobin saturation.
Objective
The research aimed to assess the clinical utility of two oximeters by comparing their output, the estimate of blood hemoglobin saturation (SaOx) with the actual saturation derived from arterial oxygen tension measurements (SaO2). The measurements were done on anesthetized horses at two different probe sites – the tongue and the ear.
Methodology
- Nine anesthetized horses were tested using two different pulse oximeters.
- The two probe sites for these tests were the horses’ tongues and ears.
- The oximeters’ hemoglobin saturation readings (SaOx) were compared to those derived from arterial oxygen tension (SaO2) by statistical methods.
Findings
- The oximeters’ readings tended to slightly underestimate the arterial saturation, with mean differences of -3.7% on the tongue and -6.0% on the ear.
- For a saturation range of 80% to 100%, the ‘limits of agreement’ (which comprise the mean differences plus or minus two standard deviations) were established.
- For each oximeter used on the tongue, these limits were between +1% and -8%. This means, for 95% of cases, the SaOx values were either one percentage point above or eight percentage points below the SaO2.
- The variability of these differences and the limits of agreement were larger when the ear was used as the probe site or when saturation was less than 80%.
Conclusion
- While the oximeters showed a tendency to slightly underestimate the SaO2, they were deemed clinically useful for detecting changes in arterial hemoglobin saturation.
- Given the larger variability and broad limits of agreement observed when the ear site was used or when saturation was less than 80%, more caution may be required when interpreting oximeter readings under these circumstances.
Cite This Article
APA
Whitehair KJ, Watney GC, Leith DE, Debowes RM.
(1990).
Pulse oximetry in horses.
Vet Surg, 19(3), 243-248.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-950x.1990.tb01179.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Surgery and Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan.
MeSH Terms
- Analysis of Variance
- Animals
- Ear
- Horses / blood
- Oximetry / veterinary
- Oxygen / blood
- Oxyhemoglobins / analysis
- Tongue
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Grubb TL, Anderson DE. Assessment of clinical application of pulse oximetry probes in llamas and alpacas. Vet Med Sci 2017 Aug;3(3):169-175.
- Koenig J, McDonell W, Valverde A. Accuracy of pulse oximetry and capnography in healthy and compromised horses during spontaneous and controlled ventilation. Can J Vet Res 2003 Jul;67(3):169-74.
- Castiglione GM, Chen X, Xu Z, Dbouk NH, Bose AA, Carmona-Berrio D, Chi EE, Zhou L, Boronina TN, Cole RN, Wu S, Liu AD, Liu TD, Lu H, Kalbfleisch T, Rinker D, Rokas A, Ortved K, Duh EJ. Running a genetic stop sign accelerates oxygen metabolism and energy production in horses. Science 2025 Mar 28;387(6741):eadr8589.
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