Table 2. Effectiveness and cost–effectiveness of pulse oximeters.

Parameter	Point estimate (range)		Data source(s) and assumption
	Commercial tabletop device	Hand-held device
Baseline anaesthetic-related mortality, deaths per million operations requiring general anaesthesia	467 (253–7500)	467 (253–7500)	Systematic review of anaesthetic-related mortality14
Anaesthetic-related deaths averted by oximetry, %	10 (3–50)	10 (3–50)	Authors’ estimates based on intermediate outcomes from systematic review of randomized control trials22 and observational data14,28,29
Discounted DALYs per death avoideda	15.5 (10–30)	15.5 (10–30)	Authors’ calculation based on approximation of age distribution of patients undergoing surgery36 and health-adjusted life expectancy by age35
Number of times each oximeter used per week	22 (20–30)	22 (20–30)	Assumed 80% utilization8 of maximum capacity of 25–30 operations per week12
Discounted DALYs averted per year of oximeter use	0.83	0.83	Authors’ calculation
Equivalent annual cost of oximeter, US$b	310	95	See Table 1
Cost per DALY averted, US$c	374	115	Authors’ calculation

DALY: disability-adjusted life-year; US$: United States dollars.

^a Based on region-specific life-tables.

^b From Table 1, in 2013 values.

^c In 2013 values.