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1779 EPITHELIAL FLUX AND EPIDERMAL STORAGE OF WATER IN CYSTIC FIBROSIS

Comparatively little attention has been given to the direct measurement of water in secretory processes and products in CF. Using a newly developed non-invasive technique, we have quantified under conditions of stable thermal and mass transfer coeff. both steady state as well as dynamic hydration and dehydration phenomena in 11 disease-free persons randomly selected for age, sex and race, and in those with CF. Preliminary data indicate that the mean steady state transcutaneous water loss rate (Ess) from the intact skin of the medial forearm of 2, 6 y/o twins (Swachman scores: 73 and 75) was twice that of the disease-free group (mean ± SE: 19.1 ± 1.1 and 9.3 ± 0.6 μg·cm−2·min−1, resp.). Also, time-controlled (T:min) hydration tests using water-impermeable barriers at the skin surface indicate mean epidermal water storage (Vol; μg) follows the pattern: Vol = 122.5+4.2T+0.01T2 (r=0.995) for these children, and Vol =64.3+1.9T-0.01T2 (r=0.988) for the control group. These data are consistent with the observation that unimpeded transepidermal water diffusion is higher in CF. Older children (9 and 18 y/o; Swachman scores: 64 and 80, resp.) show little difference in Ess (each was 10.0 μg·cm−2·min−1) conmpared to the control group, however, they may also hydrate their skin more rapidly (Vol=55.9+6.9T-0.1T2 [r=0.988] and Vol= 57.7+3.6T-0.1T2 [r=0.991], resp.) for currently unknown reasons. We suggest that transcutaneous water diffusion and storage rates are elevated in CF, and that these measurements may provide new and useful information about epithelial transport abnormalities.