The Journal of High Threat and Austere Medicine

Introduction Multifunctional wearable technologies can provide practical solutions to assist with the delivery of healthcare and research conducted within austere environments. The current study was developed to assess the accuracy of peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO₂) measurements using the Garmin fēnix® 6 Pro (GF6) wristwatch.

Methods A total of 25 healthy volunteer subjects were tested under normobaric normoxic conditions breathing room air at sea level. SpO₂ and heart rate (HR) measurements were obtained using a 51mm GF6 watch in various wrist positions with comparison of results to an approved clinical reference healthcare device (GE Transport Pro Monitor).

Results Of the total 100 test SpO₂ measurements obtained by the GF6 watch, 53 failures were recorded; 38 failures were due to measurement inaccuracy and 15 failures were due to an inability to provide SpO₂ measurement after two attempts in the same test location. Watch positioning dorsally and proximal to the wrist and hair shaving was associated with greater accuracy or a trend to more accurate SpO₂ results. HR data obtained by the GF6 were more accurate than SpO₂ measurements for all test conditions for the purposes of healthcare management.

Conclusion The results of this study do not support the use of the GF6 wristwatch for the purposes of pulse oximetry evaluation in clinical healthcare or research.

Hypocalcaemia, acute coagulopathy, hypothermia and metabolic acidosis comprise the ‘lethal diamond’, a predictor of mortality in trauma patients. Appreciating the role of hypocalcaemia in the lethal diamond is key to improving outcomes for trauma patients. Current first responder clinical practice guidelines are largely inadequate in addressing the potential for hypocalcaemia, and rarely include measurement of serum calcium, leading to many trauma patients with untreated hypocalcaemia arriving at a hospital’s emergency department. Vasudeva et al.¹ conducted a retrospective cohort study that provided an analysis of the link between hypocalcaemia and morbidity and mortality in trauma patients. A critique of this article has been undertaken to inform first responder practice, education and policy development.