02343-A: Recognizing and Removing Lipemic Interferences for Accurate Laboratory Testing
Grant Status: Closed
Project Summary
Over thirty percent of Miniature Schnauzers have primary hyperlipidemia, a disease in which fats (also termed lipids) are increased in the blood. Lipids are also increased in dogs who have recently eaten or are affected by disorders that alter lipid handling (e.g. diabetes, hypothyroidism, Cushing's disease). Blood samples collected from affected patients are milky and opaque due to large numbers of lipid droplets. Many blood tests rely on measuring a color change or light transmission through a sample, but lipid droplets absorb light and cause random light scatter preventing accurate measurement of these changes. High blood lipids may prevent clinically important tests from being performed or render their results inaccurate. Incorrect diagnosis or treatment may occur, or unnecessary invasive and expensive tests may be performed because of these inaccurate results. Two techniques are commonly used to reduce lipids before analysis: high-speed centrifugation or addition of a lipid extraction solution. For human samples, centrifugation is insufficient to remove lipid for some tests, but the lipid extraction solution produces inaccuracies in others. In dogs, the effect of the two techniques on subsequent analyses has not been well-established, preventing selection of the most appropriate lipid removal technique. The investigators will establish which biochemistry tests are altered by high lipids and determine the best means to remove the lipid interference, thereby improving the accuracy of laboratory testing and veterinary care.
Publication(s)
Help Future Generations of Dogs
Participate in canine health research by providing samples or by enrolling in a clinical trial. Samples are needed from healthy dogs and dogs affected by specific diseases.
