Decline of kidney function is associated with lower sweat weight in patients with chronic kidney disease

Abstract Excretion of sodium and water through the skin as sweat represents a regulatory mechanism of electrolyte- and fluid balance. Since patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) exhibit increased skin sodium content, we investigated the feasibility of sweat testing as a novel experimental tool...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Tarik Shoumariyeh, Florian Logar, Oliver Helk, Johannes Hofer, Klaus G. Schmetterer, Brigitte Mersi, Saskia Gruber, Marcus D. Säemann, Christopher C. Kaltenecker, Johannes J. Kovarik
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-05855-8
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849334839967219712
author Tarik Shoumariyeh
Florian Logar
Oliver Helk
Johannes Hofer
Klaus G. Schmetterer
Brigitte Mersi
Saskia Gruber
Marcus D. Säemann
Christopher C. Kaltenecker
Johannes J. Kovarik
author_facet Tarik Shoumariyeh
Florian Logar
Oliver Helk
Johannes Hofer
Klaus G. Schmetterer
Brigitte Mersi
Saskia Gruber
Marcus D. Säemann
Christopher C. Kaltenecker
Johannes J. Kovarik
author_sort Tarik Shoumariyeh
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Excretion of sodium and water through the skin as sweat represents a regulatory mechanism of electrolyte- and fluid balance. Since patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) exhibit increased skin sodium content, we investigated the feasibility of sweat testing as a novel experimental tool to provide a more complete assessment of fluid- and sodium status. In this cross-sectional feasibility study, we applied pilocarpine iontophoresis to induce sweat testing in 58 patients across various stages of CKD including kidney transplant recipients and a healthy control cohort (n = 6) to investigate possible effects of CKD and transplantation status on sweat weight and sodium concentration. Due to non-linear relationships, we modeled our data using polynomial regression. Decline of kidney function showed a significant association with lower sweat weight: adj R2 = 0.2278, F(2, 61) = 10.29, p = 0.0001. Sweat sodium concentrations were increased in moderate CKD, however, this effect was lost in end-stage kidney disease with and without requirement of hemodialysis: adj R2 = 0.3701, F(4, 59) = 10.26, p = 2.261e-06. Diagnostic sweat analysis represents an innovative, non-invasive option for a more thorough investigation of sodium- and fluid homeostasis in CKD. Lower sweat weight and higher sweat sodium concentrations represent a unique feature of CKD patients with potential therapeutic implications. Trial registration: This study is registered at ClinTrials.gov with the study number NCT06354842.
format Article
id doaj-art-7f91326ebaf54ffeba355a7e0b986728
institution Kabale University
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-7f91326ebaf54ffeba355a7e0b9867282025-08-20T03:45:27ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-011511810.1038/s41598-025-05855-8Decline of kidney function is associated with lower sweat weight in patients with chronic kidney diseaseTarik Shoumariyeh0Florian Logar1Oliver Helk2Johannes Hofer3Klaus G. Schmetterer4Brigitte Mersi5Saskia Gruber6Marcus D. Säemann7Christopher C. Kaltenecker8Johannes J. Kovarik9Department of Internal Medicine III, Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Medical University of Vienna, General Hospital of ViennaDepartment of Ophthalmology, Academic Teaching Hospital of St. John of GodDepartment of Internal Medicine III, Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Medical University of Vienna, General Hospital of ViennaDepartment of Internal Medicine III, Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Medical University of Vienna, General Hospital of ViennaDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, General Hospital of ViennaDepartment of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Allergology and Endocrinology, Medical University of Vienna, General Hospital of ViennaDepartment of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Pediatric Pulmonology, Allergology and Endocrinology, Medical University of Vienna, General Hospital of Vienna6th Medical Department with Nephrology and Dialysis, Clinic OttakringDepartment of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, General Hospital of ViennaDepartment of Internal Medicine III, Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Medical University of Vienna, General Hospital of ViennaAbstract Excretion of sodium and water through the skin as sweat represents a regulatory mechanism of electrolyte- and fluid balance. Since patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) exhibit increased skin sodium content, we investigated the feasibility of sweat testing as a novel experimental tool to provide a more complete assessment of fluid- and sodium status. In this cross-sectional feasibility study, we applied pilocarpine iontophoresis to induce sweat testing in 58 patients across various stages of CKD including kidney transplant recipients and a healthy control cohort (n = 6) to investigate possible effects of CKD and transplantation status on sweat weight and sodium concentration. Due to non-linear relationships, we modeled our data using polynomial regression. Decline of kidney function showed a significant association with lower sweat weight: adj R2 = 0.2278, F(2, 61) = 10.29, p = 0.0001. Sweat sodium concentrations were increased in moderate CKD, however, this effect was lost in end-stage kidney disease with and without requirement of hemodialysis: adj R2 = 0.3701, F(4, 59) = 10.26, p = 2.261e-06. Diagnostic sweat analysis represents an innovative, non-invasive option for a more thorough investigation of sodium- and fluid homeostasis in CKD. Lower sweat weight and higher sweat sodium concentrations represent a unique feature of CKD patients with potential therapeutic implications. Trial registration: This study is registered at ClinTrials.gov with the study number NCT06354842.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-05855-8
spellingShingle Tarik Shoumariyeh
Florian Logar
Oliver Helk
Johannes Hofer
Klaus G. Schmetterer
Brigitte Mersi
Saskia Gruber
Marcus D. Säemann
Christopher C. Kaltenecker
Johannes J. Kovarik
Decline of kidney function is associated with lower sweat weight in patients with chronic kidney disease
Scientific Reports
title Decline of kidney function is associated with lower sweat weight in patients with chronic kidney disease
title_full Decline of kidney function is associated with lower sweat weight in patients with chronic kidney disease
title_fullStr Decline of kidney function is associated with lower sweat weight in patients with chronic kidney disease
title_full_unstemmed Decline of kidney function is associated with lower sweat weight in patients with chronic kidney disease
title_short Decline of kidney function is associated with lower sweat weight in patients with chronic kidney disease
title_sort decline of kidney function is associated with lower sweat weight in patients with chronic kidney disease
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-05855-8
work_keys_str_mv AT tarikshoumariyeh declineofkidneyfunctionisassociatedwithlowersweatweightinpatientswithchronickidneydisease
AT florianlogar declineofkidneyfunctionisassociatedwithlowersweatweightinpatientswithchronickidneydisease
AT oliverhelk declineofkidneyfunctionisassociatedwithlowersweatweightinpatientswithchronickidneydisease
AT johanneshofer declineofkidneyfunctionisassociatedwithlowersweatweightinpatientswithchronickidneydisease
AT klausgschmetterer declineofkidneyfunctionisassociatedwithlowersweatweightinpatientswithchronickidneydisease
AT brigittemersi declineofkidneyfunctionisassociatedwithlowersweatweightinpatientswithchronickidneydisease
AT saskiagruber declineofkidneyfunctionisassociatedwithlowersweatweightinpatientswithchronickidneydisease
AT marcusdsaemann declineofkidneyfunctionisassociatedwithlowersweatweightinpatientswithchronickidneydisease
AT christopherckaltenecker declineofkidneyfunctionisassociatedwithlowersweatweightinpatientswithchronickidneydisease
AT johannesjkovarik declineofkidneyfunctionisassociatedwithlowersweatweightinpatientswithchronickidneydisease