Effect of Salt Intake on Sweat Electrolytes In Children

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Abstract
The finding of increased salt concentrations in sweat of patients with cystic fibrosis has stimulated interest in factors effecting sweat electrolytes in children. In adult subjects it has been shown that sodium intake, mediated through variations in adrenal cortical secretions, may significantly influence levels of sweat electrolytes.1,2 Administration of salt-retaining hormones results in a reduction of levels of sweat electrolytes in normal children 3 and adults 4 but not in patients with cystic fibrosis.3 There are no descriptions of the alterations of sweat electrolyte concentrations in normal children associated with endogenous responses to changes in salt intake. It is the purpose of this paper to present data upon changes in sodium and potassium concentrations of sweat in children without cystic fibrosis during extreme variation of salt intake. The observations suggest that the contribution of salt intake to sweat electrolyte levels is minimal in young children but progressively increases