Interference of nail polish on the peripheral oxygen saturation in patients with lung problems during exercise.

AIM To assess the interference of nail polish on the reading of peripheral oxygen saturation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on the step exercise. METHODS In this study, there was the inclusion of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, current non-smokers, of both sexes. Four different colours of nail polish were used in the present study (base, light pink, red and brown), randomly distributed among the fingers of the right hand, with the corresponding fingers on the opposite hand being controls. Saturation was measured at rest, with and without the polish, and also during the 4th, 5th and 6th minutes of the exercise programme. RESULTS The experimental universe included 42 patients with ages of 62.9±8.7 years. In the exercise considered, the red colour reduced it in the fourth minute of the exercise (p=0.047). In contrast, the brown colour reduced saturation at rest and also during the course of exercise (p=0.01). CONCLUSION In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the red and brown colours interfered with the reading of the peripheral oxygen saturation during exercise. This study is registered at the Brazilian Register of Clinical Trials (Registro Brasileiro de Ensaios Clínicos) under No. RBR-9vc722.