Electrochemical skin conductance: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Dermatology
• Clinical Electrophysiology

Background:

• Current methods for assessing small fiber neuropathy and sudomotor function are suboptimal.
• Electrochemical skin conductance (ESC) is a novel, noninvasive technique for detecting sudomotor dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and analyze existing research on the use of ESC measurements for evaluating sudomotor function in adults.
• To appraise the utility of ESC in the context of small fiber neuropathy assessment.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted on MEDLINE and Google Scholar up to March 2017.
• Search terms included "electrochemical skin conductance," "Sudoscan," and "EZSCAN."
• Evidence quality was assessed using criteria such as level of evidence, comparison to established tests (QSART, SSR, TST, skin biopsies), subject selection, and study design.

Main Results:

• Twenty-four studies met the inclusion criteria, categorized into preclinical, normative, comparative/diagnostic, and interventional.
• The review examined ESC measurement properties, diagnostic accuracy, and compared it with established sudomotor function tests.
• ESC was found to be a valuable addition to the diagnostic tools for sudomotor dysfunction.

Conclusions:

• ESC measurements enhance the available options for evaluating sudomotor dysfunction.
• Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of ESC compared to traditional tests is crucial for future clinical guidelines.
• ESC shows promise for improving the assessment of small fiber neuropathy and sudomotor function.