The sweat conductivity test yielded a high degree of diagnostic accuracy and it showed good agreement with sweat chloride. We suggest that it should play a role as a diagnostic test for CF in the near future.

Objective: To compare sweat chloride values obtained by quantitative pilocarpine iontophoresis (classic test) with the sweat conductivity values obtained using Macroduct ® collection system in patients with and without cystic fibrosis (CF). The cost and time spent to carry out each test were also analyzed. Methods:The sweat test using both techniques was performed at the same time in patients with and without CF. Conductivity cutoff values to rule out or diagnose CF were < 75 and ≥ 90 mmol/L, respectively, and for the classic test the chloride values were < 60 and ≥ 60 mmol/L. Results:Fifty-two patients with CF (29 males and 23 females; aged from 1.5 to 18.2 years) underwent the sweat test using both techniques, showing median sweat chloride and conductivity values of 114 and 122 mmol/L, respectively. In all of them, conductivity was ≥ 95 mmol/L, which provided the test with 100% sensitivity (95%CI 93.1-100). Fifty patients without CF (24 males and 26 females; aged from 0.5 to 12.5 years) had median sweat chloride and conductivity values of 15.5 and 30 mmol/L, respectively. In all cases, conductivity was < 70 mmol/L, which provided the test with 100% specificity (95%CI 92.9-100). Time spent to perform the tests was significantly shorter for the conductivity test, and its cost was also lower. Conclusions:The conductivity test showed high sensitivity and specificity, and there was good correspondence between the tests. The time spent to carry out the conductivity test was shorter and the cost was lower in comparison with the classic test. J Pediatr (Rio J)

ResUmoObjetivo: Revisar os conhecimentos existentes em relação ao uso de fatores de crescimento epidérmico e estimulador de colônias de granulócitos na prevenção e/ou no tratamento da enterocolite necrosante (ECN) durante o período neonatal. Fontes de dados:Revisão da literatura, nas bases de dados Medline, Lilacs, SciELO e PubMed, utilizando os unitermos "recém-nascidos", "enterocolite" e "fatores de crescimento", no período de 2003 a 2007. Nesta busca, 49 artigos foram encontrados, sendo 17 pertinentes ao tema. Também foram utilizados outros artigos, independente do ano de publicação, relacionados a aspectos definidores da ECN no recém-nascido.Síntese dos dados: A ECN continua sendo responsável por uma elevada morbimortalidade neonatal. Os mecanismos fisiopatológicos vêm sendo elucidados e, a partir deles, são discutidas novas terapias, como o uso de fatores de crescimento, destacando-se o fator de crescimento epidérmico e o fator estimulador de colônias de granulócitos.Conclusões: O uso de fatores de crescimento no tratamento e prevenção da ECN neonatal parece promissor. É necessário maior número de ensaios clínicos para comprovar sua eficácia e segurança. Enquanto isso, a melhor prática médica continua sendo a prevenção da doença.Palavras-chave: recém-nascido; dietoterapia; fatores de crescimento; enterocolite necrosante. Data sources: Literature review of Medline, Lilacs, SciELO and Pubmed databases, using the key-words "newborn", "enterocolitis" and "growth factors", from 2003 to 2007. Fourty-nine papers were retrieved, but only 17 related to the subject. Other studies that described some clinical aspects of enterocolitis were also included, regardless of the year of publication.Data synthesis: Necrotizing and enterocolitis has been an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the neonatal period. As the knowledge about the pathophysiology of this disease improves, new therapies, such as the administration of epidermal growth factor and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, are being discussed.Conclusions: The use of growth factors for treatment and prevention of NEC seems promising. However, further clinics assays are needed to evaluate the effectiveness and the safety of these growth factors. At this moment, the best clinical practice is the prevention of the disease.Key-words: infant, newborn; diet therapy; growth factors; enterocolitis, necrotizing.

Objective: To compare sweat chloride values obtained by quantitative pilocarpine iontophoresis (classic test) with the sweat conductivity values obtained using Macroduct ® collection system in patients with and without cystic fibrosis (CF). The cost and time spent to carry out each test were also analyzed. Methods:The sweat test using both techniques was performed at the same time in patients with and without CF. Conductivity cutoff values to rule out or diagnose CF were < 75 and ≥ 90 mmol/L, respectively, and for the classic test the chloride values were < 60 and ≥ 60 mmol/L. Results:Fifty-two patients with CF (29 males and 23 females; aged from 1.5 to 18.2 years) underwent the sweat test using both techniques, showing median sweat chloride and conductivity values of 114 and 122 mmol/L, respectively. In all of them, conductivity was ≥ 95 mmol/L, which provided the test with 100% sensitivity (95%CI 93.1-100). Fifty patients without CF (24 males and 26 females; aged from 0.5 to 12.5 years) had median sweat chloride and conductivity values of 15.5 and 30 mmol/L, respectively. In all cases, conductivity was < 70 mmol/L, which provided the test with 100% specificity (95%CI 92.9-100). Time spent to perform the tests was significantly shorter for the conductivity test, and its cost was also lower. Conclusions:The conductivity test showed high sensitivity and specificity, and there was good correspondence between the tests. The time spent to carry out the conductivity test was shorter and the cost was lower in comparison with the classic test.J Pediatr (Rio J). 2010;86(2):109-114: Cystic fibrosis, sweat test, conductivity, pilocarpine.

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