Quick Review Cards for Medical Laboratory Science

Carbohydrates, Lipids, and Proteins Clinical Chemistry Review 81

ANALYTE REFERENCE RANGE CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OTHER

Glucose, fasting

Cholesterol, total

HDL cholesterol

LDL cholesterol

Triglycerides

70–99 mg/dL

Desirable:

<200 mg/dL

Desirable:

≥60 mg/dL

Optimal:

<100 mg/dL

Desirable:

<150 mg/dL

↑(hyperglycemia): diabetes mel-

litus, other endocrine disorders,

acute stress, pancreatitis

↓(hypoglycemia): insulinoma,

insulin-induced hypoglycemia,

hypopituitarism

Limited value for predicting risk of

coronary artery disease (CAD) by

itself. Used in conjunction with

HDL & LDL cholesterol

Appears to be inversely related

to CAD

Risk factor for CAD

Risk factor for CAD

Major source of cellular energy. Levels ↓at RT.

Use sodium fluoride to prevent glycolysis. Glucose

oxidase & hexokinase are most common methods.

Hexokinase considered more accurate, fewer

interfering substances.

Enzymatic methods most common.

Homogeneous assays don’t require pretreatment

to remove non-HDL. 1st reagent blocks non-HDL,

2nd reacts with HDL.

May be calculated from Friedewald formula (if

triglycerides not >400 mg/dL) or measured by

direct homogeneous assays.

Main form of lipid storage. Enzymatic methods

using lipase. Requires fasting specimen.

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