title: A simple and rapid quantitative sweat test based on cobalt chloride color change.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Existing sweat tests are either cumbersome, require dedicated technical equipment and/or do not give reliable quantitative results. The present study was performed to develop and describe a rapid and simple test for a practical and quantitative evaluation of sweating.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cobalt chloride patches were used to collect sweat during exercise and after application of aluminum hydrochloride. Color change from blue to red was recorded and quantified, and the amount of sweat was calculated from a standard curve.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cobalt-chloride-containing patches evaluated with standard office equipment provide a rapid, simple and highly sensitive method for the quantitative measurement of sweating.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Possible applications that need to be evaluated in further studies are the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases associated with disordered sweat production and the evaluation of antiperspirants.
authors.affiliation: Karl Landsteiner Institute for Dermatological Research, St. Poelten, Austria. julia.moser@stpoelten.lknoe.at
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kriehuber
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Trautinger
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D001317:Austria; D001642:Bicycling; D003035:Cobalt / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003124:Colorimetry; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013542:Sweat / Q000378:metabolism*; D013546:Sweating; D013997:Time Factors; D057968:Transdermal Patch
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D003035:Cobalt; C018021:cobaltous chloride