SARS-CoV-2 infection, pulse oximetry, and interpretive caveats. (October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chhabria, Bharath; Arora, Navneet; Chahal, Sarah; Kumar Pannu, Ashok; Muthu, Valliappan; Kumar, Mohan
• Is Part Of: Tropical doctor. Volume 52:Number 4(2022)
• Page Start: 593
• Page End: 595
• Publication Date: 2022-10
• Subjects: Acquired methaemoglobinemia -- drug-related methaemoglobinemia -- dapsone -- COVID 19; Tropical medicine -- Periodicals; Medical care -- Developing countries -- Periodicals; Developing Countries -- Periodicals; Tropical Medicine -- Periodicals; Tropische geneeskunde; 616.9883
• DOI: 10.1177/00494755221094983
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0049-4755

Abstract

Hypoxaemia in COVID-19 does not necessarily imply COVID pneumonia or post-COVID lung fibrosis, and the caveats of finger pulse oximetry should be remembered. Drug-induced methaemoglobinemia should be considered in individuals with unexplained cyanosis, refractory hypoxaemia, or the presence of a saturation gap. Here, we share our recent encounter of 'spurious hypoxia' in a patient with COVID-19 and methaemoglobinemia.