Chandigarh, May 5 -- Applying nail polish can lead to the display of inaccurate oxygen saturation (SpO2) readings on pulse oximeters, a recent study conducted by the department of pulmonary medicine at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) has uncovered.

According to a systematic review led by a team of doctors, including Dr Ashutosh N Aggarwal, Dr Ritesh Aggarwal, Dr Sahajal Dhooria, Dr Kuruswamy T Prasad, Dr Inderpaul S Sehgal and Dr Vallappan Muthu, wearing nail polish, especially in darker shades, can interfere with oximeter readings. The study, conducted without any external funding, was presented during the researchday celebrations at the institute in March.

The PGIMER team reviewed 117 studies pub...