Johns Hopkins University researchers are using a monitor developed by Nox Medical to investigate the treatment of COVID-19 patients, reports the Iceland Review.

Research has shown that oxygen intake for patients on ventilators improves when they are positioned on their stomachs, but it is not known what impact the position has on patients who are not on ventilators. Nox Medical’s device may well help doctors and researchers answer this question.

Dr. Naresh Punjabi, whose research specialities at Johns Hopkins include epidemiology and intensive care, explained that Nox Medical’s device is a respiration monitor that allows doctors to precisely measure respiration and oxygen saturation in real time.

“We are testing the hypothesis of whether putting a patient face down even before they need a ventilator may increase their oxygen intake and prevent them from needing a ventilator at all,” explained Dr. Punjabi.

The study that Dr. Punjabi and his colleagues are embarking upon will be done with patients who are not yet on ventilators. There is some evidence that positioning patients on their stomachs will increase their oxygen intake, but clinical trials have yet to be conducted.

Get the full story at icelandreview.com.