[The form of crystallization of perspiration in pancreatic cystic fibrosis]

The present study is based on the typical dendritic forms of the sweat crystallization from patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The phenomenon was analyzed in sweat collected by pilocarpine iontophoresis in 26 affected subjects (Homozygotes), 42 heterozygotes and 100 healthy-control subjects. The positive crystallization pattern (dendritic form), became useful in identifying the affected patients in 100% of cases and in differentiating them from the healthy-control subjects (100%, negative crystallization). The positive crystallization pattern was not altered by decreasing the electrolytes concentration in the sweat. This test could be a help to evaluate the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis.