Exploring Utilization and Establishing Reference Intervals for the Apolipoprotein B Test in the Korean Population

Area of Science:

• Clinical Biochemistry
• Cardiovascular Disease Biomarkers
• Population Health Studies

Background:

• Apolipoprotein B (ApoB) is a key biomarker for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.
• Traditional lipid tests may not fully capture CVD risk, highlighting the need for ApoB assessment.
• Underutilization of ApoB testing in Korean health check-ups was observed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine reference intervals for ApoB in Korean adults with normal traditional lipid profiles.
• To compare established ApoB intervals with international clinical guidelines.
• To provide data for improved interpretation of ApoB test results in clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 264,105 traditional lipid test sets, identifying 464 with ApoB tests.
• Establishment of ApoB reference intervals using parametric (mean ± 2 SD) and non-parametric (95th percentile) methods on 334 samples.
• Comparison of ApoB prevalence by sex using established and international cutoffs.

Main Results:

• Reference intervals for men: 46-134 mg/dL (parametric), 50-131 mg/dL (non-parametric).
• Reference intervals for women: 49-129 mg/dL (parametric), 51-127 mg/dL (non-parametric).
• No significant sex-based difference in high ApoB prevalence when using sex-specific or guideline cutoffs.

Conclusions:

• The study provides essential ApoB reference intervals for the Korean population.
• These intervals will assist clinicians and laboratories in accurate ApoB test interpretation.
• Enhancing ApoB testing utilization can improve cardiovascular risk assessment in Korea.