"Clinical Significance
Cardio IQ® Cholesterol, Total - Total serum cholesterol analysis is useful in the diagnosis of hyperlipoproteinemia, atherosclerosis, hepatic and thyroid diseases.

Preferred Specimen(s)
1 mL serum

Minimum Volume
0.5 mL

Transport Container
Transport tube

Transport Temperature
Refrigerated (cold packs)

Specimen Stability
Room temperature: 7 days
Refrigerated: 7 days
Frozen: 90 days
 

Reject Criteria
Gross hemolysis • Moderate to grossly icteric

Patient Preparation
If a cholesterol measurement is to be performed along with triglycerides, but not part of a lipid panel, then the patient should be fasting 9-12 hours prior to collection. If the cholesterol is ordered as part of a lipid panel, then a fasting sample is not required.
The assay manufacturer Beckman Coulter advises: "N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC), when administered in therapeutic concentrations (for the treatment of acetaminophen overdose), has been...determined to interfere with assays for...cholesterol, uric acid" where "NAC interference may lead to falsely low results." According to Beckman Coulter, the NAC interference should be insignificant by 12 hours after completion of the initial loading dose of an IV infusion treatment regimen consisting of an initial loading dose of 150 mg/kg administered over 1 hour, a second dose of 50 mg/kg administered over 4 hours and a third dose of 100 mg/kg administered over 16 hours.

Methodology
Spectrophotometry (SP)

Reference Range(s)
<20 Years    <170 mg/dL
≥20 Years    <200 mg/dL

Alternative Name(s)
Cholesterol, Total, Cardio IQ®,CardioIQ®