COMPARISON OF METHODS FOR MEASUREMENT OF APOLIPOPROTEIN-B AND CHOLESTEROL IN LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEINS

We describe a new method for the direct measurement of LDL-apolipoprot ein (apo) B by using a commercial kit that isolates LDL by immunosepar ation. We evaluated immunoseparation of LDL for apo B and cholesterol measurement in 46 dyslipidemic patients with LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) b etween 1.5 and 8.2 mmol/L, 11 of whom had plasma triglyceride (TG) con centrations >4.0 mmol/L. There was a reasonable correlation (r = 0.94, n = 40) between LDL-apo B obtained after immunoseparation and d >1.00 6 kg/L apo B obtained after ultracentrifugation. LDL-C by the immunose paration method also correlated well (r = 0.98, n = 46) with the d >1. 006 kg/L cholesterol after ultracentrifugation. These results show tha t immunoseparation can be used to determine LDL-apo B, even in hypertr iglyceridemic samples. This method may provide a quick and simple alte rnative for the identification of hyperapobetalipoproteinemia, even wh en TG concentrations are high.