title: Biological variation data applied to the selection of serum lipid ratios used as risk markers of coronary heart disease.
abstract: The biological variation of several relative lipid quantities, calculated as the ratios between the concentrations of various serum lipids and apolipoproteins, has been estimated over a one-year period. The medians of the within-subject biological coefficient of variation, separated by sex when significant differences exist, were 15.4% for [apolipoprotein A-I]/[apolipoprotein B], 6.8% for [high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol]/[cholesterol], 10.5% and 17.6% (women and men, respectively) for [HDL2-cholesterol]/[HDL-cholesterol], 13.6% for [HDL2-cholesterol]/[HDL3-cholesterol], 10.6% for [low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol]/[apolipoprotein B], 10.6% and 8.7% (women and men, respectively) for [LDL-cholesterol]/[cholesterol], and 6.3% for [LDL-cholesterol]/[HDL-cholesterol]. From these data, we have calculated the critical difference for significant change detection, the index of individuality, and the goal for the between-day imprecision. Concerning within-subject biological variation, the best ratios for the detection of risk of coronary heart disease and the monitoring of intervention are [LDL-cholesterol]/[HDL-cholesterol] and [HDL-cholesterol]/[cholesterol]. The index of individuality obtained in this study indicates that the use of population-based reference values is inadequate for interpreting the ratios studied.
authors.affiliation: Servei de Bioquímica Clínica, Hospital Prínceps d'Espanya, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ortolá
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Castiñeiras
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fuentes-Arderiu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008055:Lipids; D002784:Cholesterol