A wireless patch for the monitoring of C-reactive protein in sweat

A wearable electrochemical patch for the real-time monitoring of the biomarker C-reactive protein in sweat detects elevated concentrations of the protein in patients with acute or chronic inflammation. The quantification of protein biomarkers in blood at picomolar-level sensitivity requires labour-intensive incubation and washing steps. Sensing proteins in sweat, which would allow for point-of-care monitoring, is hindered by the typically large interpersonal and intrapersonal variations in its composition. Here we report the design and performance of a wearable and wireless patch for the real-time electrochemical detection of the inflammatory biomarker C-reactive (CRP) protein in sweat. The device integrates iontophoretic sweat extraction, microfluidic channels for sweat sampling and for reagent routing and replacement, and a graphene-based sensor array for quantifying CRP (via an electrode functionalized with anti-CRP capture antibodies-conjugated gold nanoparticles), ionic strength, pH and temperature for the real-time calibration of the CRP sensor. In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, with active or past infections or who had heart failure, the elevated concentrations of CRP measured via the patch correlated well with the protein's levels in serum. Wearable biosensors for the real-time sensitive analysis of inflammatory proteins in sweat may facilitate the management of chronic diseases.

Automated summary

A wearable electrochemical patch has been developed to monitor the biomarker C-reactive protein in sweat in real-time, allowing for point-of-care monitoring in patients with acute or chronic inflammation. The patch integrates various components such as iontophoretic sweat extraction, microfluidic channels for sampling and reagent routing, and a graphene-based sensor array for quantifying CRP and calibrating the sensor with ionic strength, pH, and temperature. The patch showed good correlation with serum protein levels in patients with chronic diseases.