Fluorometric estimation of triglycerides in serum by a modification of the method of Bucolo and David

An enzymic, flurometric method is described for determination of triglycerides (and glycerol) in blood serum, a modification of the method of Bucolo and David [Clin. Chem. 19, 476 (1973)]. Commercially available reagent kits are used. The rate of disappearance of NADH fluorescence at 460 nm (excitation wavelength, 365 nm) is monitored and related to serum triglyceride concentration, corrected for the content of free glycerol. We compared the results obtained fluorometrically to the ultraviolet spectrophotometric Boehringer Neutral Fat method used at Gentofte Hospital, Copenhagen. Instrument response and concentration were linearly related in the range 0.27 to 2.7 mmol of triglycerides per liter of serum with the fluorometric method. The CV was 0.9% for the fluorometric method, 3.7% for the spectrophotometric procedure. The fluorometric method requires less reagents, time, and calculations than does the spectrophotometric method.