Reference interval for lipid profile in North Indian population from Rajasthan according to various partitioning...

Lipid profile parameters are influenced by various factors like age, ethnicity, diet, genetic and gender differences hence it is essential to establish reference range of the values of serum lipids for a given population in India. We have planned this study to evaluate the reference values of lipid profile of a North Indian population according to the guidelines of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) of the USA.

The present study was conducted on 2021 apparently healthy individuals of North Indian origin ranging in age from 15 to 60 years, who were selected randomly using defined criteria. Fasting samples were analyzed for total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-C and LDL-C. Data were analyzed for middle 95th percentile (2.5th-97.5th percentile), median and 95% confidence interval using SPSS software package version 10.0.

No substantial difference could be observed between male and female and vegetarian and non-vegetarian, in cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-C levels. However HDL-C reported higher limit in female as compared to male (33-64 vs 32-58 mg/dl). Similarly upper limit of HDL-C in vegetarians were higher than non-vegetarian (value 32.8-64.92 vs 30.72-58.10mg/dl). Median value for cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-C progressively increased in different age groups (<20, 20-40 and 41-60 years). No marked difference was observed in reference interval of these parameters in rural and urban populations.

It can be suggested that lipid values obtained in this study can be used as the reference value, based on which clinical correlation can be made.