Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40880206›Full record

ArticleAnesthesiology2026

Near-infrared Spectroscopy and Skin Tone in Children: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Joseph R Starnes, Wendi Welch, Christopher Henderson, Stephen Hudson, Briana McVean, Scott Risney, George T Nicholson, Thomas P Doyle, Dana Janssen, Bevan P Londergan and 5 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Anesthesiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Joseph R StarnesDivision of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
Wendi WelchDivision of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
Christopher HendersonDivision of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
Stephen HudsonDivision of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
Briana McVeanDivision of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
Scott RisneyDepartment of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
George T NicholsonDivision of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
Thomas P DoyleDivision of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
Dana JanssenDivision of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
Bevan P LonderganDivision of Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
David A ParraDivision of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
James C SlaughterDepartment of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.
Muktar H AliyuDepartment of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.
John A GravesDepartment of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee.
Jonathan H SoslowDivision of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.

Funding

Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (VICTR) -Identifying correlates of functional immunity in SARS-CoV-2 convalescent plasmaUL1TR002243 · NCATS · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · PI Paul A. Harris, Wesley H Self · 2017 to 2026
$130.7M
AHRQ HHS T32 HS026122NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR002243
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRetrospective studies suggest that pulse oximetry overestimates saturation in children from races that may be associated with darker skin tone. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) relies on similar optical technology, but less is known about the effect of skin tone on NIRS. This study aimed to quantify the effect of skin tone on NIRS performance.

methodsConsecutive patients under 21 yr old undergoing cardiac catheterization were enrolled (N = 110). Skin tone was measured using spectrophotometry. Regional oxygen saturation was recorded from a Medtronic (USA) INVOS 5100C NIRS device placed on the forehead and was compared to the mixed venous saturation. Multivariable linear regressions were used to determine the effect of skin tone measured by individual typology angle (ITA).

resultsMean bias was larger for patients with darker skin in ITA categories 5 and 6 at -12.8% compared to ITA categories 3 and 4 at -2.5% with a difference of 10.3% (95% CI, 4.4 to 16.3; P < 0.001) and ITA categories 1 and 2 at 0.3% with a difference of 13.1% (95% CI, 7.5 to 18.7; P < 0.001). ITA was associated with NIRS bias in multivariable regression analysis (coefficient, 0.173; P < 0.001).

conclusionsDarker skin tone is associated with worse NIRS performance and lower NIRS values compared to mixed venous saturation for the INVOS 5100C system. This may lead to differences in care and contribute to inequities in outcomes. Better validation guidelines are needed to ensure equity in performance across varying skin tones.

Indexed as

Skin PigmentationAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolCohort StudiesFemaleHumansInfantMaleOximetryOxygen SaturationProspective StudiesSpectroscopy, Near-InfraredYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID40880206
PMCPMC12520187

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.