title: Measurement of low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol in serum: a status report.
abstract: Current recommendations of the Adult Treatment Panel and the Children and Adolescents Treatment Panel of the National Cholesterol Education Program make the concentration of low-density lipoproteins cholesterol (LDL-C) in serum the basis for the classification and treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Numerous methodologies for the determination of serum LDL-C concentrations, in research and clinical laboratories, have been described. Here, we review the principles, performance, and limitations of major current methodologies for determining LDL-C concentrations. These methods include sequential and density-gradient ultracentrifugation, chromatographic and electrophoretic techniques, and precipitation methods. In addition, the advantages and disadvantages of estimating LDL-C concentration by the Friedewald equation, the most commonly used approach in clinical laboratories, are addressed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC 20010.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rifai
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Warnick
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: McNamara
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Belcher
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Grinstead
authors.forename: I D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Frantz
mesh_terms: D011232:Chemical Precipitation; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D002845:Chromatography; D004586:Electrophoresis; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000145:classification / Q000628:therapy; D008433:Mathematics; D014461:Ultracentrifugation
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL