Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 13, 2026
Assessing Whole-Body Lipid-Handling Capacity in Mice
Published on: November 24, 2020
Lipid and lipoprotein testing in resource-limited laboratories
1Clinical Chemistry Branch, Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Chamblee, Georgia, USA. gmyers@cdc.gov
Insights
Accurate lipid testing is crucial for assessing coronary heart disease (CHD) risk. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers technical assistance to help limited-resource laboratories establish reliable cholesterol and lipoprotein testing capabilities.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Chemistry
- Public Health Laboratory Science
- Cardiovascular Disease Risk Assessment
Background:
- Total cholesterol (TC) and lipoproteins, including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), are established markers for coronary heart disease (CHD) risk.
- Increased lipid testing necessitates highly reliable laboratory results for effective CHD risk identification and management.
- Laboratories in resource-limited settings face significant challenges in establishing and maintaining lipid and lipoprotein testing capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the importance of quality laboratory services in CHD prevention strategies.
- To address the challenges faced by laboratories with limited resources in implementing lipid and lipoprotein testing.
- To introduce the technical assistance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support CHD public health programs in underserved areas.
Main Methods:
- The CDC provides technical assistance to laboratories aiming to develop lipid and lipoprotein testing.
- Assistance includes guidance on selecting appropriate testing instruments.
- Training for laboratory technicians, development of quality control plans, and preparation of control materials are key components of the support.
Main Results:
- The CDC has over 30 years of experience in providing technical assistance for lipid and lipoprotein testing.
- The CDC is committed to offering ongoing support to laboratories needing to establish or improve this capability.
- This assistance aims to ensure the accuracy and reliability of CHD risk marker measurements in diverse laboratory settings.
Conclusions:
- Quality laboratory services are essential for effective coronary heart disease risk assessment and reduction.
- The CDC's technical assistance program is vital for enabling laboratories with limited resources to perform accurate lipid and lipoprotein testing.
- Supporting laboratory capability is a critical component of public health strategies to combat cardiovascular disease globally.
Abstract:
The role of total cholesterol (TC) and lipoproteins in the assessment of coronary heart disease (CHD) is firmly established from population and intervention studies. Total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) levels are positively associated with CHD, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) levels are negatively associated with CHD. Efforts to identify and treat people at increased risk based on cholesterol and lipoprotein levels have led to more lipid testing and the need for very reliable test results. Thus, quality laboratory services are an essential component of healthcare delivery and play a vital role in any strategy to reduce morbidity and mortality from CHD. In laboratories with limited resources, establishing laboratory capability to measure CHD risk markers may be a considerable challenge. Laboratories face problems in selecting proper techniques, difficulties in equipment availability and maintenance, and shortage of supplies, staffing, and supervision. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been providing technical assistance for more than 30 years to laboratories that measure lipids and lipoproteins and is willing to provide technical assistance as needed for other laboratories to develop this capability. CDC can provide technical assistance to establish lipid and lipoprotein testing capability to support a CHD public health program in areas with limited laboratory resources. This assistance includes: selecting a suitable testing instrument; providing training for laboratory technicians; establishing a simple quality control plan; and instructing staff on how to prepare frozen serum control materials suitable for assessing accuracy of lipid and lipoprotein testing.
