Screen-Printed Sensor for Low-Cost Chloride Analysis in Sweat for Rapid Diagnosis and Monitoring of Cystic Fibrosis

Abstract

Analysis of sweat chloride levels in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is essential not only for diagnosis but also for the monitoring of therapeutic responses to new drugs, such as cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulators and potentiators. Using iontophoresis as the gold standard can cause complications like burns, is uncomfortable, and requires repetitive hospital visits, which can be particularly problematic during a pandemic, where distancing and hygiene requirements are increased; therefore, it is necessary to develop fast and simple measures for the diagnosis and monitoring of CF. A screen-printed, low-cost chloride sensor was developed to remotely monitor CF patients. Using potentiometric measurements, the performance of the sensor was tested. It showed good sensitivity and a detection limit of 2.7 × 10−5 mol/L, which covered more than the complete concentration range of interest for CF diagnosis. Due to its fast response of 30 s, it competes well with standard sensor systems. It also offers significantly reduced costs and can be used as a portable device. The analysis of real sweat samples from healthy subjects, as well as CF patients, demonstrates a proper distinction using the screen-printed sensor. This approach presents an attractive remote measurement alternative for fast, simple, and low-cost CF diagnosis and monitoring

Flexible Sweat Sensors: From Films to Textiles

“…23 iontophoresis still has some irritation that reddens the skin. 41,64 Finally, the least irritating, least exhausting, and most sustainable response to normal body health, diet, drug intake, etc. is the resting-state sweat collection.…”

“…However, on the other hand, in some situations, it is necessary to demonstrate that pilocarpine does not interfere with them when testing electrode selectivity. , Moreover, iontophoresis still has some irritation that reddens the skin. , Finally, the least irritating, least exhausting, and most sustainable response to normal body health, diet, drug intake, etc. is the resting-state sweat collection .…”

“…(E) Integrated roll-to-roll process with a sweat sensor combining ion selection and rate monitoring 84. (F) Large-scale low-cost printed preparation of a sensor by screen printing 41. (G) A unilateral bead structure high stretched sensor prepared using surface strain redistribution with no significant change in sensitivity from 0 to 200% of strain state 19.…”

State of Sweat: Emerging Wearable Systems for Real-Time, Noninvasive Sweat Sensing and Analytics

“…A small field study highlights performance for adult patients with (N = 10) and without (N = 10) cystic fibrosis. Although these platforms and others 150,151 demonstrate immense potential to improve cystic fibrosis diagnostics, substantial expansion of clinical study populations is a requisite for establishing operational performance equivalence to current clinical methods. 152 Resulting from recent interest in utilizing sweat as a noninvasive target for metabolic health monitoring, considerable research efforts seek to expand the utility of diagnostic sweat testing from CF and atopic dermatitis to diabetes.…”

“…A small field study highlights performance for adult patients with ( N = 10) and without ( N = 10) cystic fibrosis. Although these platforms and others , demonstrate immense potential to improve cystic fibrosis diagnostics, substantial expansion of clinical study populations is a requisite for establishing operational performance equivalence to current clinical methods …”