The clinical relevance of apolipoprotein determination

Summary

At the time being the only clinical relevance of the determination of apolipoproteins appears to be the use in monitoring the course of a disease of lipid metabolism. Apolipoproteins AI and B are very stable parameters which can be determined with high precision. If one could agree on one method for determination of apo B or establish a central laboratory, the determination of apo B in dried blood-spots for screening purposes is desirable. By this way not only cases of familial hypercholesterolemia could be detected very early in the infant, but also early enough in one of the parents. This is meaningful since we have adequate means of treating this disorder.

Lack of standardization and of agreement on methodology so far has hindered prospective data regarding the clinical significance of apolipoprotein measurement.