Lipaemia: causes, consequences and solutions.

The detection of lipaemia in a patient blood sample can be a clinical conundrum as well as an analytical nuisance. With a reported prevalence of 0.7% in all blood samples received for lipid studies its finding has been suggested to be an underappreciated problem [1]. Its presence can have a significant impact on the validity of a number of routine blood tests. The intention of this report is to outline the causes of lipaemia, the clinical and analytical consequences of its presence and some of the tools the laboratory employ to reduce its effects. Both laboratory professionals and clinicians should have an appreciation of the analytical and clinical impact lipaemia may confer on routine biochemistry.