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Sweat Testing in Ireland

O Blake1, V Tsang2, R Ghori2

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, University Hospital Limerick

Irish Medical Journal
|December 7, 2018
PubMed

Insights

The sweat test is the gold standard for cystic fibrosis diagnosis. In Ireland, 2555 sweat tests were conducted in 2011, revealing significant variations in testing practices across centers.

Area of Science:

  • Clinical diagnostics
  • Pulmonology
  • Genetic disorders

Background:

  • The sweat test is the established gold standard for diagnosing cystic fibrosis.
  • Understanding current diagnostic practices is crucial for healthcare planning and quality improvement.
  • Variations in testing protocols can impact diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the patterns of sweat testing for cystic fibrosis diagnosis in Ireland.
  • To document the volume, outcomes, and procedural variations of sweat testing across different centers.
  • To identify potential areas for standardization and improvement in cystic fibrosis diagnostics.

Main Methods:

  • A national survey was conducted across all Irish centers performing sweat tests.
  • Data collected for the calendar year 2011 included the number of tests, results (positive, negative, equivocal, insufficient), and age ranges.
  • Practices were analyzed across 15 participating centers.

Main Results:

  • A total of 2555 sweat tests were performed in 2011, with significant variation in volume per center (35 to over 450 tests).
  • Only 1.4% (35 tests) were positive for cystic fibrosis.
  • The overall 'quantity not sufficient' (QNS) rate was 10.3%, with a wide range (0-28.3%) across centers. Testing occurred across a broad age spectrum (2.5 weeks to 75 years).

Conclusions:

  • The study highlights a substantial number of sweat tests conducted in Ireland.
  • Significant variability exists in sweat testing practices and outcomes among different Irish centers.
  • Further investigation into the causes of variation and the high QNS rate is warranted to optimize diagnostic efficiency.

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