ELITechGroup Launches Improved Macroduct Sweat Test for Cystic Fibrosis Diagnosis

ELITechGroup Biomedical Systems has released a new, advanced version of its Macroduct system, called the Macroduct Advanced Sweat Collection System, which allows for improved standardized sweat testing for the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis.

The Macroduct Advanced Sweat Collection System has been cleared by the U.S Food and Drug Administration.

A sweat test measures the amount of chloride present in sweat. Because cystic fibrosis patients have up to 2.5 times more chloride in their sweat than healthy individuals, physicians can use sweat test results to diagnose the disease.

The Macroduct system consists of the Webster Sweat Inducer, used to induce sweat in children, and the Macroduct Sweat Collector, which collects the sweat. The system has changed the way laboratory sweat tests are conducted for cystic fibrosis diagnosis.

According to the company, the Macroduct Sweat Collection System has become the world standard for diagnosing children with cystic fibrosis and is used by labs worldwide. Furthermore, it is endorsed by the U.S. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and other cystic fibrosis associations around the world.

“This new Macroduct Advanced proves our commitment to ongoing innovation to improve patient care by developing market-leading diagnostic products. Laboratories that use our products for sweat testing do so with confidence as a result of our superior features that test and troubleshoot for optimal results,” Bryce McEuen, vice president of ELITechGroup, said in a press release.

With this system, sweat testing is both accurate and simple.

The new Macroduct Advanced Sweat Collection System consists of a touch-screen user interface that provides step-by-step instructions that allow for further standardization of pilocarpine iontophoresis — the method used to induce sweating — and sweat collection.

To perform pilocarpine iontophoresis, an electrode is placed over gauze containing the drug pilocarpine at the test site in addition to an electrolyte solution. A second electrode without pilocarpine is placed at another site, and a mild electric current pulls the pilocarpine into the skin where it stimulates the sweat glands.

In the new version, the shape of the electrodes and the Macroduct collector have been revised to make it more convenient when working with newborns and toddlers with small limbs.

According to the company, the new Macroduct system will help improve workflow while still complying with protocols and other requirements, offering flexible options for data management.

To date, more than 5 million sweat tests have been completed with the current Macroduct Sweat Collection System, according to McEuen.