What is the purpose of sweat analysis?
During the analysis, sweat is collected and the amount of chloride is estimated.
The purpose of the analysis is to determine if the child has cystic fibrosis. The test is intended for infants and children who have chest infections, difficulty gaining weight, or are stunted.
For an accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to obtain a sufficient amount of sweat from the body - in some clinical cases, the procedure is carried out several times.
If the laboratory test shows that the amount of chloride is low, the child does not have cystic fibrosis. In case of high chloride content, a blood test is prescribed and only after that the diagnosis is confirmed.
What is cystic fibrosis?
Cystic fibrosis is an inherited, progressive disease that affects the lungs, digestive system, and other organs. The pathology damages the cells that produce mucus, sweat and digestive juices.
The symptoms characteristic of the disease are diverse and the signs change according to the severity of the diagnosis. In some clinical cases, symptoms do not appear until adolescence and sometimes even adulthood.
A patient with cystic fibrosis has more salt in their sweat than is normal, more than recommended - often, a parent can even taste the salt when they kiss their child.
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