Heparin, lipoproteins, and oxygenated fatty acids in blood: a cautionary note

We measured 16 nonesterified oxygenated fatty acid derivatives (oxylipids) in plasmas from seven human subjects. Two arterial samples from each subject were analyzed, drawn approximately 2h apart. We observed a marked increase in levels of most oxylipids in the second sample, as high as 470-fold. Between the first and second samples, subjects received approximately 800-1000 IU of heparin to prevent clotting in intravascular catheters. We postulate that heparin activated lipoprotein lipases, which, in turn, released oxylipids from triglycerides and phospholipids in plasma lipoproteins. Some of that lipolysis may have occurred during sample storage. Measurements of nonesterified lipids in human plasma may be distorted if heparin is administered to subjects before blood is drawn and if lipase inhibitors are omitted from stored samples.