Method
Sweating is induced by pilocarpine iontophoresis. At the test site, an electrode is placed over gauze containing pilocarpine and electrolyte solution that will not interfere with the sodium and chloride measurement. A second electrode (without pilocarpine) will be placed at another site and a mild electrical current will draw the pilocarpine into the skin where it stimulates the sweat glands.
The test site is carefully cleaned and dried, then a piece of preweighed filter paper is placed over the test site and covered with parafilm to prevent evaporation. Specialized collection devices may also be used. Sweat is collected for 30 minutes. The filter paper is retrieved and weighed to determine the weight of sweat collected. Several laboratory methods are then used to determine the sodium and chloride concentrations.
Before this method of inducing sweat was developed, the method was to place the entire person to be tested in a hemispherical chamber and slowly raise the humidity and temperature of the air inside.
Read more about this topic: Sweat Test
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