Improved method for determination of high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol I. Isolation of high-density lipoproteins by use of polyethylene glycol 6000.

We describe a modified method of precipitating low- and very-low-density lipoproteins with polyethylene glycol, for quantitation of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. A 100 g/L concentration of polyethylene glycol 6000 in a buffered (pH 10) solution is used. Under these conditions precipitation of beta-lipoproteins is complete. Values for HDL cholesterol as measured with this method fully correspond to those obtained on separating the lipoproteins by ultracentrifugation or with heparin-Mn2+, 46 mmol/L; are slightly higher than those obtained with heparin-Mn2+, 92 mmol/L; and are significantly higher than those determined after precipitation with polyethylene glycol, 100 g/L at pH 8.0. Comparison with results by the ultracentrifugation method showed excellent correlation (r = 0.957) with a good correspondence of results (slope 1.065 and y-intercept -22.231); comparison with the heparin-Mn2+, 46 mmol/L, method gave r = 0.998 with slope of 0.985 and y-intercept 2.963. The method is unaffected by precipitation and centrifugation time and temperature (up to 24 h with 4-22 degrees C temperature for precipitation and between 10 and 30 min with 4-22 degrees C temperature for centrifugation). This extremely simple method is particularly suitable for routine analyses of many samples, even in small laboratories.