THE EFFECT OF ANTICOAGULANTS, STORAGE TIME AND TEMPERATURE ON LIPOPROTEIN CONCENTRATIONS OF APPARENTLY HEALTHY SUBJECTS IN PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA.

Ebirien-Agana Samuel Bartimaeus*, Stella Urekweru Ken-Ezihuo and Theodora Onyema Austin

ABSTRACT

Background: This study was designed to investigate the effect of anticoagulants (lithium heparin and fluoride oxalate) on lipoprotein levels obtained from samples which were analyzed within 2h after collection (control), stored at -40C for one week (168h), 250C for one week (168h), -40C for two weeks (336h) and 250C for two weeks (336h). 30 apparently healthy subjects ranging between the ages of 23 to 75 years participated in the study. Materials and Methods: Standard analytical procedures were used to determine the levels of the lipoproteins in the sample. Results: The results of the means ± SD of the plasma samples in the different anticoagulants stored for both 1 week and 2weeks at -4°C and 25°C for TC, TG, HDL-C and LDL-C showed significant differences (p< 0.05) decrease and deterioration when compared with the controls. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the lipoprotein concentrations between lithium heparin and fluoride oxalate controls suggesting that lipoprotein determinations can be performed using fluoride oxalate as anticoagulant if the samples are to be analyzed immediately after collection. Conclusion: Anticoagulants, length and storage temperature, affect dramatically the measurement of total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein and low density lipoproteins.

Keywords: Lipoprotein, lithium heparin, fluoride oxalate, anticoagulants, storage, temperature.