Validation of a novel method to quantify local axilla sweating, SweatSENSE

Area of Science:

• Physiology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Sports Science

Background:

• Accurate measurement of local axillary sweating is crucial for understanding thermoregulation and heat stress.
• Existing methods like capacitance hygrometry can be cumbersome.
• A novel, non-invasive technique, SweatSENSE, was developed to assess axillary sweat responses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the efficacy of the SweatSENSE technique in quantifying local axilla sweating.
• To compare SweatSENSE measurements with a gold-standard method, capacitance hygrometry (CH).
• To assess the agreement between SweatSENSE and CH under various physical activity conditions.

Main Methods:

• Thirty healthy females underwent a 3-hour protocol involving treadmill walking, stepping, and cycling.
• Local axilla sweating was measured intermittently using SweatSENSE paper sensors.
• Ipsilateral axilla sweating was continuously recorded using capacitance hygrometry (CH).
• Agreement between SweatSENSE and CH was analyzed using Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC).

Main Results:

• Both SweatSENSE and CH indicated increased axilla sweating during physical activity and throughout the protocol.
• Physiological parameters like heart rate, core temperature, RPE, and thermal discomfort also increased significantly.
• A moderate agreement (average ICC: 0.483) was found between SweatSENSE and CH for 21 out of 30 participants.

Conclusions:

• The SweatSENSE technique demonstrates a moderate level of validity for measuring local axilla sweating.
• This novel method shows potential as a practical tool for assessing sweat responses in physiological and sports science research.
• Further validation across diverse populations and conditions may enhance its applicability.