Key points from article :
Researchers developed a skin sweat sensor that can measure cytokine levels continuously for up to 168 hours.
It can detect deadly cytokine storms that occur in patients with COVID-19 and other illnesses.
“If you could monitor pro-inflammatory cytokines, you could treat patients early, even before they develop symptoms,” - Shalini Prasad, co-researcher.
A blood test to check cytokine levels is inconvenient and provides only one snapshot in time.
Continuous measurement is preferable and the sweat sensing may be a viable alternative.
It consists of a sensor strip into which passive sweat diffuses.
Cytokines change the electric current running through the device, and this is measured and wirelessly transmitted to a smartphone.
The current sensor measures seven different cytokines that are relevant to cytokine storms.
“We’re going to continue to test it for all respiratory infections,” - Prasad.
Research by the University of Texas and EnLiSense presented in ACS.
