Determination of serum triglycerides by an accurate enzymatic method not affected by free glycerol

In this automated single-run enzymatic procedure for specific determination of triglycerides in serum, free glycerol is removed from the reaction mixture by pre-incubation with glycerol phosphate oxidase and peroxidase. The subsequent addition of lipase and the chromogen, 4-aminoantipyrine, results in the formation of color proportional to the amount of triglycerides in serum. Standards containing triolein in aqueous detergent are used to calibrate the method. For serum pools from the Centers for Disease Control with target values of 0.74, 1.41, and 2.63 mmol/L, the method produced biases of +0.01, -0.05, and 0.00 mmol/L, respectively (mean: -0.01 mmol/L or -0.4%). The mean coefficient of variation was 1.4% within and 2.5% between days; the combined CV, 2.9%. Ninety 6-microL serum samples can be analyzed per hour. The method is more accurate and precise than one based on an NADH-coupled enzyme system with separate addition of lipase.