Variability of lipids and apolipoproteins results across platforms may impact cardiovascular risk assessment
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Objectives Lipid and apolipoprotein measurements are essential for cardiovascular risk assessment, particularly in patients with metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, or borderline lipid values. Despite standardization efforts, analytical discrepancies between platforms may impact clinical decisions. This study aimed to evaluate the comparability of Cobas Integra and Abbott Alinity c for measuring total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and of Siemens BN ProSpec and Abbott Alinity c for measuring apolipoproteins A1 (ApoA1) and B (ApoB). Methods Paired plasma samples from 128 statin-treated adults with documented coronary heart disease were analyzed. Method comparison was performed using Passing-Bablok regression and Bland-Altman analysis. Results Good agreement was observed for TC, TG, and LDL-C, with minor biases and no significant deviation from linearity. HDL-C values measured on Alinity c were consistently lower than those from Cobas Integra (mean bias: −4.5 mg/dL). ApoA1 values were significantly higher on Alinity c than on BN ProSpec (mean bias: −0.49 g/L), suggesting a systematic discrepancy likely related to calibration differences. ApoB showed the highest level of concordance, with negligible bias (−0.09 g/L). Conclusions The Abbott Alinity c and Siemens BN ProSpec systems demonstrated good overall agreement in measuring lipids and apolipoproteins. However, notable differences in HDL-C and ApoA1 values may affect clinical interpretation, especially in patients with borderline results or when switching between analytical platforms.
Source: Journal of Laboratory Medicine
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,130
OpenAlex ID: W7119107188