Using optical clot detection methods, as is commonly used in determining prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time, lipemia may result in artificial prolongation of clotting times.

How does lipemia affect coagulation testing?

Using optical clot detection methods, as is commonly used in determining prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time, lipemia may result in artificial prolongation of clotting times.

Why does lipemia cause hemolysis?

Hemolysis: Hemolysis of erythrocytes is enhanced in the presence of lipemia. This can affect results of individual tests (particularly end point reactions that are not blanked), because hemoglobin will absorb at wavelengths used to detect reactions in the analyzer.

What causes lipemic blood?

The most common cause of lipemia is that the patient is not fasting and has eaten close in time to the blood draw. This effect is most dramatic when the patient has consumed a meal with high fat content. However, nonfasting on its own usually does not result in enough lipemia to significantly impact laboratory tests.

Does lipemia affect PT and PTT?

Lipemia and icterus, however, are problematic because laboratory mitigation procedures such as sample dilution cannot be performed for PT and aPTT. Processes for handling these interferences and providing accurate results are needed.

Why lipemic samples are not used in serologic testing?

Hemolytic and lipemic specimens may show variable results in antigen-antibody reactions, especially in nephelometric antibody assays. In general, lipemic specimens will interfere with enzymatic reaction assays.

What is lipemia and hemolysis?

Hemolysis and lipemia are 2 common preanalytical interferences that can impact laboratory testing. Hemolysis visually appears as pinkish or reddish plasma/serum. Lipemic plasma or serum appears turbid and opaque.

Does lipemia affect MCV?

Hyperleukocytosis can affect the accuracy of platelet, hemoglobin, and even MCV determinations. Today’s hematology analyzers are quite robust, and most are able to detect unlikely results that “flag” the operator, indicating careful review of the results is needed.

What about lipemic blood What effect does this sample have on results?

Conclusion: Lipemia causes clinically significant interferences for phosphorus, creatinine, total protein and calcium measurement and those interferences could be effectively removed by ultracentrifugation.

Does lipemia affect fibrinogen?

In that study, lipemia did not significantly impact the results of either PT, aPTT or fibrinogen (Woolley et Page 5 al., 2016).