JP4403568B2 - Sweat collection method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for collecting sweat perspired by a subject, and particularly to a method for collecting sweat suitable for use in non-invasive measurement for measuring biological components contained in the collected sweat.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A method of measuring various biological components using human blood or serum as a sample by a biochemical technique or an immunological technique is widely used in clinical examinations and the like. However, in order to perform the measurement, blood must be collected from the subject, and the burden on the subject is heavy. In addition, blood collection must be performed by a blood sampling qualified person such as a doctor, so it can be performed anytime and anywhere. It is not such an inspection.
[0003]
Therefore, various methods have been attempted for measuring biological components in a non-invasive test that does not burden the subject. Among them, sweat is a liquid that is perspired on the body surface and can be collected non-invasively and contains various biological components secreted based on human metabolism. It is attracting attention as one of the objects. Thus, several methods for collecting the subject's sweat have been studied.
[0004]
As a method for collecting sweat, a patch type attached to the skin surface is used as a simple method. This method is a method of sticking a hygroscopic material to the skin surface, and can measure biological components in sweat contained in the hygroscopic material. As an arm pack method, a method is known in which the tip of the elbow is covered with a plastic bag, the bag is closed with a rubber band or the like, and the sweat dripped from the arm is collected.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, since the patch method collects sweat in a state absorbed by the moisture-absorbing material, there is a problem that there is a limit to the measurement method for measuring the sweat component, and the vinyl pack method causes sweat until the required amount of sweat is dripped. Has a problem that it is difficult to collect. Since only the sweat absorbed by the hygroscopic material or dripped onto the plastic bag is collected, the biological components contained in the sweat dried on the skin surface remain on the skin and are not collected. In addition, since the amount of sweat collected by the patch method is unknown, even if the component cannot be detected by measurement, it is not known whether the sweat itself was insufficiently collected or not contained in the sweat. There is a problem.
[0006]
In order to solve these problems, the inventors of the present invention have closely attached a capsule to the skin surface, supplied dehumidified air therein, measured the amount of water, and transferred it to a sampling section with a compressor to be a secretion. Has been filed (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-239309). However, this apparatus has a problem that a cooling sampling part is required and becomes large-scale.
[0007]
The present invention provides a method capable of efficiently collecting a subject's sweat in a simple and short time without burdening the subject. Furthermore, the present invention provides a sweat collection method capable of monitoring the collection of sweat by measuring the amount of sweat at another corresponding site.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The method for collecting sweat of the present invention involves pressing a small container containing alcohol as a solvent against a predetermined part of one hand to immerse the solvent in the skin, and dissolve the sweat sweated from the skin in the solvent. This is a sweat collection method for collecting sweat.
Further, as a second invention, when collecting sweat, measure the amount of sweat in the part corresponding to the part to be collected in the other hand, and consider the measured amount of sweat as the amount of collected sweat. This is a sweat collection method characterized by monitoring the amount of sweat produced.
[0009]
The sweat collected in the present invention includes biological components secreted from the skin surface. The collection container used for collecting sweat of the present invention is for dissolving sweat in a solvent by allowing the solvent in the container to soak the skin. If the opening area of the collection container is made constant, the perspiration per unit skin area is reflected. When a sample tube (500 μl) is used as a collection container, it can be stored after being collected, and can be directly applied to a centrifuge. If you use a flat container, it can be easily applied to the skin surface.
[0010]
The solvent used in the present invention is appropriately selected according to the type and measuring method of the biological component measured by the solvent that dissolves sweat together with the biological component in sweat. Distilled water containing alcohol is suitable for dissolving sweat and sweat biological components.
[0011]
Since the skin surface of the subject usually has various components due to contact with others, it is necessary to clean the skin surface portion collected before collecting the sweat. As for this cleaning method, alcohol disinfection is not preferable because the skin irritation is too strong or sweating is limited. By flowing distilled water at room temperature through the sweat collection site for a short time (preferably about 5 to 15 seconds), impurities on the skin surface are removed and sweat perspiration is not limited, which is suitable as a cleaning method before sweat collection.
[0012]
In addition, since the amount of sweat perspiration varies greatly depending on the external environment, individual differences, and physical condition of the day, it is not possible to know how much sweat has been collected even if the collection conditions are constant. However, in this method, since sweat is directly dissolved in a solvent, it is difficult to measure the amount of collected sweat. Thus, using a device for examining the sweating amount of a specific part, the amount of sweating of the same part on the palm side of the right hand and the left hand was examined. As a result, surprisingly the same amount of sweat was sweated. Was obtained as follows. Therefore, it was possible to estimate the amount of collected sweat by collecting sweat with one hand and simultaneously measuring the amount of sweat in the same part of the opposite hand using a sweat amount measuring device. That is, the amount of sweat collected at the site where the sweat is collected and the part which is symmetrical on the left and right of the body are measured by this sweat amount measuring device, and the measured amount of sweat is regarded as the amount of the collected sweat and the amount of sweat collected is monitored That is. In this method, it is possible to arbitrarily set the sweat collection condition by monitoring, and it is also possible to calculate the concentration of the measured biological component in the sweat.
[0013]
【Example】
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this example, the caffeine concentration in the sweat of the subject was measured as follows.
(1) Have subjects drink caffeine tablets (containing 93 mg of Kafe soft anhydrous caffeine).
(2) Clean both hands of the subject with normal temperature distilled water for 10 seconds.
(3) After waiting for 5 minutes, a 500 μl sample tube containing 70 μl of 1% alcohol aqueous solution was turned over and pressed against the center of the thumb palm as shown in FIG. Soak the skin surface in a solvent.
(4) At the same time, a local sweat measurement device (Kenz Perspiro OSS-100 manufactured by Suzuken) is attached to the same part of the thumb of the other hand, and the amount of sweat perspiration is monitored.
(5) The caffeine concentration of the solvent in the sample tube collected as described above was measured with a gas chromatography / mass spectrometer.
[0014]
By the above operation, the caffeine concentration in the solvent (■ in FIG. 3), the sweat perspiration (▲ in FIG. 3), and the caffeine concentration in sweat (FIG. 4) were obtained. The monitoring result after caffeine intake was obtained that the amount of caffeine in sweat was already secreted 25 minutes after collection and had a maximum value per hour and decreased considerably in 5 hours.
[0015]
【The invention's effect】
By this method, it is possible to collect sweat for easy monitoring without collecting blood. Since the amount of sweat perspiration is also measured, it is possible to substantially monitor sweat collection. Since the sweat collection method provided by the present invention is a simple method and easy to monitor, it can be used for a noninvasive examination of sweat. Many biological components secreted by sweat have not been investigated yet. It is known that the amount of sweat increases by adding heat and stimuli, but in this case, various studies on sweat such as whether only the amount of water increases or the amount of secretion of biological components also increases are possible.
[0016]
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a state where a container is pressed against a thumb and the skin surface is immersed in a solvent.
FIG. 2 is a correlation diagram in which the correlation between sweating amounts on the left and right palm sides is examined.
FIG. 3 is a graph showing changes over time in the concentration of caffeine and the amount of perspiration of a solvent containing sweat collected in this example.
FIG. 4 is a graph showing a change over time of the caffeine concentration in sweat obtained from the caffeine concentration of the solvent containing sweat collected in this example and the amount of perspiration.

Claims (4)

A sweat collection method in which sweat is collected by pressing a small container containing water containing alcohol as a solvent against a predetermined part of a subject to immerse the skin in the solvent, and dissolving sweat sweated from the skin in the solvent. When collecting sweat, measure the amount of sweat collected at the site where the sweat is collected and the site where sweating is related, and monitor the amount of sweat collected by regarding the measured amount of sweat as the amount of sweat collected. The sweat collection method according to claim 1, wherein: The sweat collection method according to claim 2, wherein the sweat amount is measured at a site where sweat is collected and a site which is symmetrical on the left and right sides of the body as a site where sweating is related. 2. The method for collecting sweat components according to claim 1, wherein the skin at the site where the sweat is collected is cleaned with running water for a predetermined time before the sweat is collected.

Images