Study Finds Minority, Female ICU Patients Get Fewer, Delayed Oxygen Tests in U.S. Hospitals

Background: Pulse oximetry is the primary tool used to monitor oxygenation in critically ill patients, but its accuracy varies across racial groups. Arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis remains the most reliable method for assessing oxygenation, and variation in how often it is used may contribute to inequities in care. Objective: To determine whether the likelihood, timing, and frequency of ABG testing differed by race and sex among ICU patients. Design / Methods: Retrospective cohort study using 4 large electronic health record databases covering 161 U.S. hospitals from 2001 to 2019, including 184,178 ICU admissions. They evaluated whether patients received an ABG test, the time from ICU admission to the first ABG, and the frequency of repeat testing, while adjusting for illness severity, demographics, and hospital characteristics. Results: Compared with white male patients, Asian, black, and female patients were less likely to receive an ABG test (Asian: odds ratio [OR], 0.807; 95% C more...