Operational evaluation of pulse oximetry in NICU patients with arterial access.

Objective: To investigate pulse oximetry in neonates who require arterial access as represented by the clinical data recorded to manage their care.

Study Design: Analysis of simultaneous SpO(2) and SaO(2) from: 7-year historical NICU data (N=31905); 4-month prospective NICU data (N=566); verification data using two hemoximeters (N=52); and NICU data from two collaborating centers (N=95 and 168). The bias function (SpO(2)-SaO(2)) was regressed against the measured "gold" standard, SaO(2).