Effects of specimen turbidity and glycerol concentration on nine enzymatic methods for triglyceride determination

We compared the effects of specimen turbidity and glycerol concentration on nine enzymatic methods for triglyceride measurement. We assayed 51 specimens with triglyceride concentrations of 0.85-8.21 mmol/L (75-727 mg/dL) and turbidity at 420 nm equivalent to > or = 0.1 mmol/L (8.8 mg/dL) triglyceride (measured as part of our comparison method). The data were analyzed by multiple regression, which gave coefficients for the effects of glycerol concentration and the change in turbidity during the reaction. The effects of specimen turbidity and glycerol concentration were method-dependent and ranged from 6.20% to -15.67% of the measured result. The magnitude of the turbidity effect (in assays with a significant turbidity interference) was similar to that for glycerol (in assays with a significant glycerol interference). A triglyceride assay with a bichromatic measurement was less subject to interference from turbidity.