title: Estimating and minimizing effects of biologic sources of variation by relative range when measuring the mean of serum lipids and lipoproteins.
abstract: Biologic intraindividual variation (CVb) is a major source of inaccuracy in current lipid and lipoprotein measurements. Metaanalysis has been used to estimate the average CVb of serum total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), and triglyceride (TG). These CVb values are larger than the National Cholesterol Education Program-accepted and -proposed analytic (CVa) goals. Measuring serial specimens reduces the error in determination of the mean concentration used in classification of the patient by cutoff points. We show (a) a convenient technique, based on the relative range, to qualitatively estimate and interpret biologic variation of TC, HDLC, LDLC, and TG, and (b) the number of serial specimens required to meet a total variation goal for measurements of mean lipid and lipoprotein values. A total variation goal has been selected that can be met by two serial specimens for a majority of individuals.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health, Atlanta, GA 30341-3724.
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Sampson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Magid
mesh_terms: D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol