Preferred Sample Type
Suitable Specimen Types
- Serum
1mL blood (0.5ml serum)
Specimen Transport
Send specimens to referral laboratory by first class post within 4 days of specimen collection.Sample Processing in Laboratory
Centrifuge and separate serum, Sample should not be frozen and is stable for only 7 days.Sample Preparation
Fresh serum samples required. Heparin samples NOT suitable. Sample should not be frozen and is stable for only 7 days.Turnaround Time
Two weeks from date received by referral laboratory.Sample Stability
Store separated serum at 4ºC for up to 7 days. Specimens MUST NOT be frozen.Lipoprotein/lipid Electrophoresis (Serum)
General Information
There are four major classes of lipoproteins:
- Chylomicrons, which circulate in the blood and deposit the triglycerides in fatty tissue
- Very low-density lipoproteins, which like chylomicrons also circulate in the blood and deposit triglycerides in fatty tissue but contain a higher concentration of cholesterol
- Low-density lipoproteins, also called “bad cholesterol,” form 60 to 70 percent of a person’s total cholesterol
- High-density lipoproteins, also called “good cholesterol,” removes excess cholesterol from tissues in the body
Patient Preparation
Fasting samples are preferred.
Reference Range
None Given. Written report given.
PLEASE NOTE from 01/08/2012 lipoprotein electrophoresis is no longer performed in-house, specimens to be sent to referral laboratory. All requests for lipoprotein electrophoresis to be vetted by Duty Biochemist.
Specifications
- EQA Scheme?: No
-
EQA Status:
No scheme available.