No drop in oxygen saturation when asthma patients wear masks

Reuters Health - 03/03/2021 - Wearing a mask doesn't decrease oxygen-saturation levels in patients with asthma, regardless of the type of mask worn, duration of mask use or demographics or asthma control, new research indicates.

To decrease the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people age two years and older wear masks in public settings and around members of different households.

"Asthma is not an exclusion factor for wearing a mask. However, the effect of masks on oxygen saturation is often questioned in those with asthma, and there is a lack of data regarding this topic," said Dr. Marisa Hodges of the University of Michigan and Michigan Medicine, in Ann Arbor, during a presentation of her findings at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology virtual annual meeting.

To investigate, she and her colleagues had 223 patients complete a voluntary anonymous survey asking about demographics, asthma diagnosis, perceived control of asthma and mask type worn during a visit to the Michigan Medicine Allergy Clinic. A pulse-oximetry reading was performed while the individual was wearing the mask.

A total of 101 patients (46%) reported having a diagnosis of asthma and remaining 121 did not report an asthma diagnosis. The demographics and mask types were relatively similar in the asthma and non-asthma groups, with a majority being female, white and wearing fabric masks.

In patients with and without asthma, pulse oximetry readings during mask use ranged from between 93% to 100%.

Mean oxygen saturation showed no difference when adjusted for gender in both asthma and non-asthma groups at 98%, Dr. Hodges reported. Mean oxygen saturation was also similar when adjusted for race at either 98% or 99%.

Mask type also did not alter mean oxygen saturation levels in patients with and without asthma (mean SpO2, 98% for fabric and surgical masks in both groups).

Mean oxygen saturation also did not differ in those reporting well-controlled and somewhat-controlled asthma (98%). The two patients with perceived uncontrolled asthma had mean oxygen saturation 97% at rest.

"Masks are important to reduce transmission of COVID-19 and will likely be utilized even after the COVID-19 vaccine has been widely distributed. These results show that mask use does not affect oxygen saturation in patients with asthma at rest. This study may be used as a tool to provide evidence of safety to concern patients with asthma," Dr. Hodges concluded.

SOURCE: https://annualmeeting.aaaai.org/ American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology virtual annual meeting, February 26 to March 1, 2021.

By Megan Brooks



Posted on 3 March 20216 April 2021