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Published on: October 12, 2017
Reliability of lipid, lipoprotein, and apolipoprotein measurements
1Department of Biochemistry, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195.
Insights
Reliable measurement of lipids and lipoproteins is crucial for heart health. This study assesses current laboratory testing accuracy and provides recommendations to improve lipid and apolipoprotein measurements.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Chemistry
- Cardiovascular Diagnostics
- Laboratory Medicine
Background:
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute initiatives highlight the need for accurate cholesterol and heart disease testing.
- Increased public and clinical awareness necessitates reliable laboratory measurements of lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify analytical problems and provide solutions for improving the reliability of lipid, lipoprotein, and apolipoprotein measurements.
- To assess the current state of reliability for these critical blood constituent measurements in clinical laboratories.
Main Methods:
- Review and discussion of accuracy and precision in measuring total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
- Evaluation of apolipoprotein A-I and B measurement reliability.
- Provision of general and specific recommendations for identified analytical issues.
Main Results:
- Identified areas of concern regarding the accuracy and precision of routine lipid and apolipoprotein testing.
- Highlighted the variability and potential inaccuracies in current clinical laboratory measurements.
- Provided a foundation for improving the standardization and reliability of these assays.
Conclusions:
- Accurate and precise laboratory measurements of lipids and apolipoproteins are essential for effective cardiovascular disease management.
- Addressing identified analytical issues is paramount to enhance the reliability of clinical laboratory testing.
- Recommendations are proposed to improve the current state of lipid and apolipoprotein measurement reliability.
Abstract:
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute national awareness program on cholesterol and heart disease has placed new demands on laboratorians to utilize and perform more reliable measurements of lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins. The general public's awareness and the clinicians' concerns about the reliability of laboratory testing make it paramount that the analytical problems and issues are identified and solutions are provided to increase the current state of reliability of the measurement of these blood constituents. To accomplish this, the initial step is to assess the current state of reliability of lipid, lipoprotein, and apolipoprotein measurements in the clinical laboratories. Accuracy and precision of measurements of total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and apolipoproteins A-I and B are extensively discussed, and general as well as some specific recommendations are provided for some of the apparent problems.
