How does lipemia interfere with laboratory assays, and what pre-collection practices help minimize it?

How does lipemia interfere with laboratory assays, and what pre-collection practices help minimize it?

• A. Lipemia causes turbidity and spectral interference; fasting specimens and prompt separation help minimize.
• B. Lipemia has no effect on assays.
• C. Lipemia reduces viscosity; draw after meal.
• D. Lipemia improves photometric accuracy.

Answer: (C)

Lipemia clouds the plasma with excess lipids, causing turbidity and spectral interference that disrupts many photometric and colorimetric assays. The milky appearance scatters and absorbs light used to measure analytes, leading to inaccurate results—sometimes appearing falsely high or low depending on the test. To minimize lipemia, have patients fast before collection (typically 8–12 hours, avoiding fatty meals) so postprandial lipids are reduced. If possible, obtain the sample promptly and separate it after collection to clear the serum or plasma before testing. If lipemia remains an issue, labs may use methods less affected by turbidity or employ lipid-clearing steps or request a redraw after adequate fasting.

Lipemia clouds the plasma with excess lipids, causing turbidity and spectral interference that disrupts many photometric and colorimetric assays. The milky appearance scatters and absorbs light used to measure analytes, leading to inaccurate results—sometimes appearing falsely high or low depending on the test. To minimize lipemia, have patients fast before collection (typically 8–12 hours, avoiding fatty meals) so postprandial lipids are reduced. If possible, obtain the sample promptly and separate it after collection to clear the serum or plasma before testing. If lipemia remains an issue, labs may use methods less affected by turbidity or employ lipid-clearing steps or request a redraw after adequate fasting.