The Italian external quality assessment program for Cystic Fibrosis sweat chloride test: CFTR modulators and the impact of a new sweat test report form

The advent of CFTR modulators highlighted that the sweat test (ST) for CF can be used also as an outcome measure for the basic defect of CFTR. Despite the technological advances, ST still remains operator-dependent and its execution should be strongly paired with guidelines. In 2022, due to the advent of CFTR modulators, the Italian CF Society introduced a specific ST report. The aim of the present paper is to discuss the impact of this new report in the 2022-23 round of the Italian External Quality Assessment program for ST (I-EQA-SCT). The scheme of the I-EQA-SCT is prospective, enrolment is voluntary, the payment of a fee is required and results are shared through a web-facility. Assessment covers analysis, interpretation, and reporting of results. In the 2022-23 round, 2 out of the 3 mock clinical information referred to patients who started modulators. Fourteen laboratories completed the 2022-23 I-EQA-SCT round. Three of them failed in the interpretation of results from these two mock cases and/or used a wrong report not consistent with the more recent Italian Sweat Test Recommendations. The overall results obtained from the laboratories involved in the I-EQA-SCT program clearly showed that the laboratories’ qualitative and quantitative performance improved significantly. Results emerged from this round highlighted an issue in the report form used for monitoring patients on CFTR modulator therapy thus stressing the importance of these programs in improving both the performance of lab services and ameliorating the sweat test recommendations. [Display omitted] •The sweat test used to monitor patients on treatment with CFTR modulators needs a new report format to provide appropriate answers to clinicians.•This study confirms the importance of participation in External Quality Assessment programs to improve the performance of laboratory services.•A good collaboration between the sweat test EQA expert team and the Sweat Test working group helps refining the content of guidelines.