Research On Electrolyte Concentration And Electrical Conductivity Of Human Breast Milk In The Diagnosis Of Lactation Mastitis

Lactation mastitis（LM）is a mammary inflammatory disease during lactation,and the incidence of LM is on the rise in recent years.At present,the clinical diagnosis of LM depends on clinical symptoms and non-specific indicators,and the diagnostic accuracy is related to the experience of clinicians.When patients do not receive appropriate clinical intervention,it often leads to the misuse of antibiotics and the termination of breastfeeding.Therefore,accurate quantification of LM is an urgent problem to be solved.It has been found in animal studies that the electrolyte concentration and electrical conductivity in milk can be used in the auxiliary diagnosis of mastitis,but the correlation between the electrolyte concentration and human lactation mastitis is still lacking.Therefore,this paper aims to explore the correlation between electrolyte concentration and conductivity of human breast milk and LM,so as to lay a theoretical foundation for the accurate diagnosis of LM.Purpose:To explore the differences of Na⁺,K⁺,Cl^-and Ca²⁺concentrations and electrical conductivity in milk between lactating healthy women and lactating mastitis patients,and to determine the optimal cut-off value of lactating electrolyte concentration and electrical conductivity,providing a new method for the specific diagnosis of LM.It also laid the foundation for subsequent research on the correlation between milk electrolyte concentration and electrical conductivity and infectious pathogens,and the correlation between different disease course and LM in lactation mastitis patients.Methods:A total of 120 lactating healthy women and 60 lactating mastitis patients were included in this study.Na⁺concentration,K⁺concentration,Cl^-concentration,Ca²⁺concentration and electrical conductivity were measured in both the healthy group and the inflammatory group.Finally,the self-comparison of the electrolyte concentration and conductivity of the inflammation group and the comparison of the mean values of the infected side and the healthy group were conducted to explore whether there were differences in the electrolyte concentration and conductivity of the milk between the mastitis patients and the healthy women.Then,the optimal truncation value of statistical difference index was preliminarily proposed,and the optimal truncation value was checked whether there was diagnostic benefit for the initial diagnosis of LM.Results:1.There were no significant differences in the concentrations and electrical conductivity of Na⁺,K⁺,Cl^-and Ca²⁺in bilateral breast milk of healthy lactating women（P>0.001）.2.When the breast was in a state of inflammation,Na⁺concentration,Cl^-concentration and electrical conductivity of milk on the affected side of lactation mastitis patients increased,while K⁺concentration and Ca²⁺concentration showed no significant difference compared with that on the healthy side（P>0.001）.3.Compared with lactating mastitis patients,Na⁺concentration,Cl^-concentration and electrical conductivity of breast milk in lactating mastitis patients were increased,while K⁺concentration and Ca²⁺concentration had no significant difference（P>0.001）.4.Milk Na⁺concentration≥10.625 mmol/L or Cl^-concentration≥13.975 mmol/L or electrical conductivity≥1.075μS/cm may have good diagnostic benefits,but further investigation and verification of clinical data are needed.Conclusion:When Na⁺concentration≥10.625 mmol/L or Cl^-concentration≥13.975 mmol/L or electrical conductivity≥1.075μS/cm,the possibility of LM can be considered,which can help reduce the errors caused by empirical diagnosis by clinicians,further reduce the use of antibiotics and improve the rate of breastfeeding.