Validation of the Nonin 8600V Pulse Oximeter for heart rate and oxygen saturation measurements in rats.

This report validates the use and limitations of the Nonin Pulse Oximeter for measuring heart rate and oxygen saturation in rats. Eight anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats were intubated and catheterized. Oxygen saturation was directly measured from arterial blood by using a Radiometer OSM3 Hemoximeter adjusted for rat blood as well as indirectly by using the Nonin Pulse Oximeter. Oxygen saturation was changed by varying the level of inhaled oxygen. Heart rate was measured in two ways: 1) by using the signal from the Nonin Pulse Oximeter and 2) by counting the pressure pulses from the transduced blood pressure. There was excellent agreement between heart rate values measured by the Nonin Pulse Oximeter and that measured by counting the pulses from the arterial blood pressure recording. The Nonin Pulse Oximeter underestimated oxygen saturations by about 3% to 5% compared to the Hemoximeter. Overall, the pulse oximeter reflected important trends in oxygen saturations, making it a useful tool for laboratory animal medicine.