Lipaemic samples: effective process for lipid reduction using high speed centrifugation compared with...

Area of Science:

• Clinical Chemistry
• Laboratory Medicine
• Analytical Biochemistry

Background:

• Lipaemic samples pose analytical challenges in laboratories, potentially causing errors and impacting patient safety.
• High triglyceride levels, often from metabolic disturbances, necessitate effective lipid reduction methods.
• Laboratories lacking ultracentrifuges require alternative solutions for managing lipaemia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of high-speed micro-centrifugation in reducing lipid concentrations in lipaemic samples.
• To compare the performance of high-speed centrifugation with ultracentrifugation for accurate laboratory analysis.
• To assess the suitability of high-speed centrifugation as an alternative method for managing lipaemic samples.

Main Methods:

• Ten native lipaemic sample pools with triglyceride levels ranging from 11.6-42.7 mmol/L were analyzed.
• Samples were subjected to double high-speed micro-centrifugation (21,885 x g for 15 min).
• Lipid reduction was compared to ultracentrifugation, with analysis performed on a Beckman DxC800 analyzer.

Main Results:

• Approximately 0.7% of samples received for lipid studies exhibited triglyceride levels > 10 mmol/L, indicating potential analytical interference.
• High-speed centrifugation reduced cholesterol by 3.1 mmol/L and triglycerides by 15.0 mmol/L on average.
• These results demonstrate high-speed centrifugation is nearly as effective as ultracentrifugation in lipid reduction.

Conclusions:

• High-speed micro-centrifugation effectively reduces lipid levels in lipaemic samples.
• This method provides accurate results, serving as a viable alternative to ultracentrifugation.
• Implementing high-speed centrifugation can enhance laboratory efficiency and patient safety by managing lipaemic samples effectively.