Standardization of lipoprotein reporting

We wanted to ascertain whether the current format of lipid laboratory repor ts seemed adequate to promote identification and treatment of patients with dyslipidemia. In a random survey of lipid laboratory reports from 25 labor atories, we found great inconsistencies among reporting formats and content s, Fewer than half the laboratories correctly reported the ranges for chole sterol, only 4 correctly reported ranges fbr high-density lipoprotein chole sterol, only 2 correctly reported ranges for triglycerides, and none presen ted law-density lipoprotein cholesterol ranges in terms of risk factors for coronary heart disease. Reports typically were disjointed and difficult to read The current practice of reporting results for lipid panels is confusi ng and does not follow the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) gu idelines. We recommend that reporting of results be standardized, and a "mo del" standardized report is presented herein, based on consensus from a tea m of experts. The standardized report uses current recommendations for rang es, follows the flowcharts of the NCEP guidelines, and takes the patient's clinical condition (the number of risk factors and the presence of coronary heart disease) into consideration. Standardizing lipid reports should decr ease confusion and perhaps increase application of the guidelines and patie nt compliance with treatment.