Nonfasting Low-Density Lipoprotein Testing: Utility for Cholesterol Screening in Pediatric Primary Care

This prospective study assessed the clinical application of a nonfasting low-density lipoprotein cholesterol measure in a pediatric primary care population. A homogenous direct low-density lipoprotein cholesterol assay was tested in healthy children, aged 4 to 12 years, at risk for hyperlipidemia, as defined by American Academy of Pediatrics, and including patients with incomplete family histories. This nonfasting homogeneous assay was comparable to modified β quantification, the gold standard reference method of measuring low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and the current recommended screening method, total cholesterol. Results from the study suggest that this nonfasting assay can provide more direct low-density lipoprotein cholesterol measurements for healthy children, with improved clinical utility and greater overall patient convenience in testing for important cholesterol abnormalities.