There are seven commonly used lipid tests: cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, lipoprotein(a), Apo A I, Apo B.
I. Cholesterol (TC, CHO)
Reference value.
Appropriate level: ≤5.17mmol/L (200mg/dL)
Critical range: 5.20-5.66mmol/L (201-219mg/dL)
Elevated: ≥5.69mmol/L(220mg/dL)
Clinical significance.
Elevated.
Hazards of elevated CHO: easily cause atherosclerotic cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as: coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, stroke (stroke), etc.
Diseases with elevated CHO: various hyperlipoproteinemia, obstructive jaundice, nephrotic syndrome, hypothyroidism, chronic renal failure, diabetes mellitus, etc.
Physiological factors that lead to elevated CHO: high-fat diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, stress, and blood concentration. May be significantly elevated in the last trimester of pregnancy and may recover after delivery.
Decrease.
Decreased CHO can be seen in various lipoprotein-deficient states, cirrhosis, malignancy, malabsorption of nutrients, and megaloblastic anemia. It can also be lowered during menstruation in women.
II. Triglycerides (TG)
Reference value.
Appropriate level: <1.69mmol/L (150mg/dL)
Critical range: 1.69-2.25mmol/L (150-200mg/dL)
Elevated: 2.26-5.63mmol/L(200-500mg/dL)
Very high: ≥5.64mmol/L (500mg/dL)
Clinical significance.
Elevated.
Hazards of elevated TG: Triglycerides are also a risk factor for the development of coronary heart disease and should also be given dietary control or pharmacological treatment when they are elevated.
Common diseases with elevated TG: various hyperlipoproteinemia, diabetes mellitus, gout, obstructive jaundice, hypothyroidism, pancreatitis, etc.
Decrease: seen in hypolipoproteinemia, malnutrition absorption, hyperthyroidism, also seen in excessive hunger, exercise, etc.
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)
Reference value.
Appropriate level: ≥1.04mmol/L (40mg/dL)
Decrease: ≤0.91mmol/L (35mg/dL)
Clinical significance: HDL-C is considered as “good cholesterol” because it can transport free cholesterol accumulated in tissues to the liver, reduce cholesterol deposition in tissues, and play an anti-atherosclerotic role. Therefore, individuals with low HDL-C levels have an increased risk of coronary heart disease, while those with high levels are less likely to develop coronary heart disease.
IV. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)
Reference value.
Appropriate level: ≤3.10mmol/L (120mgd/L)
Marginal elevation: 3.13-3.59mmol/L (121-139mg/dL)
Elevated: ≥3.62mmol/L(140mg/dL)
Clinical significance.
The danger of elevation: elevated LDL is one of the important risk factors for the occurrence of atherosclerosis, and is used to determine the presence of the risk of coronary heart disease, and is also the primary indicator for the prevention and treatment of dyslipidemia.
Elevated: It can be seen in hereditary hyperlipoproteinemia, hypothyroidism, nephrotic syndrome, obstructive jaundice, chronic renal failure, Cushing’s syndrome, etc.
Decrease: seen in non-beta-lipoproteinemia, hyperthyroidism, digestive malabsorption, liver cirrhosis, malignant tumor, etc.
V. Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)
Reference value: 10-140mmol/L (0-300mg/L)
Pathological elevation: ≥300mg/L
Clinical significance: elevated Lp(a) increases the risk of atherosclerosis and atherothrombosis, and its increased concentration is an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
VI. Apolipoprotein AⅠ(apoAⅠ)
Reference value: 1.20-1.60g/L
Clinical significance: In general, apoAⅠ can represent HDL level and is significantly positively correlated with HDL-C. People with lower than 1.20g/L have a tendency to develop coronary heart disease than those with higher than 1.60g/L.
VII. Apolipoprotein B (apoB)
Reference value: 0.80-1.20g/L
Clinical significance: apoB mainly represents LDL level and is significantly and positively correlated with LDL-C. Elevated apoB is a risk factor for coronary heart disease, higher than 1.20g/L has a tendency to develop coronary heart disease than less than 1.00g/L. Reducing apoB can reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease and promote the regression of atheromatous plaque.