Introduction to Triglycerides:
Triglycerides are esters composed of glycerol and fatty acids. The glycerol portion is identical across all triglycerides, while the fatty acid components may vary.
Normal Triglyceride Levels:
Normal triglyceride levels: Children
Clinical Significance of Triglycerides:
Abnormal Results:
Elevated: Observed in coronary heart disease, myocardial sclerosis, atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, nephrotic syndrome, etc. Levels exceeding 2.26 mmol/L indicate hypertriglyceridemia. Obese individuals often exhibit elevated triglycerides.
Decreased: Commonly seen in hyperthyroidism, adrenal insufficiency, liver parenchymal disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cerebral infarction, cachexia, primary low-density lipoprotein (β-lipoprotein) deficiency, and indigestion.
Recommended for: Routine screening; periodic testing advised.
Precautions for Triglyceride Testing:
Preparation: Avoid high-fat foods and alcohol in the last meal before blood draw. Fast for 12 hours. Blood is drawn from the forearm vein.
During Testing: Inform the doctor immediately if discomfort occurs during blood collection.
Contraindications: None.
Triglyceride Test Procedure:
Serum TG measurement methods are generally categorized into three types: chemical, enzymatic, and chromatographic. Early estimation methods calculated TG by subtracting cholesterol and phospholipids from total lipids.Chemical methods extract TG from specimens using organic solvents. After removing interfering substances like phospholipids from the extract, TG is hydrolyzed (saponified) with alkali. Iodic acid oxidizes glycerol to form formaldehyde, which is then quantified via a colorimetric reaction.The dichloromethane-silicic acid-vanillin method (VanHandel-Caslson method) offers greater accuracy. This method ensures complete extraction, effectively removes phospholipid and glycerol interference, and utilizes vanillin for its high sensitivity and stable color development. It remains the internal reference method of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, its numerous operational steps and high technical demands make it unsuitable for routine laboratory applications.Isotope dilution/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (ID/GC/MS) is primarily used for establishing confirmatory methods in reference systems and preparing/calibrating reference materials. This method is costly, involves complex sample processing, and is difficult to implement widely.
Typical cost for triglyceride testing:
20 yuan
That concludes our overview of normal triglyceride levels. We hope this information has provided valuable insight. Wishing you good health and happiness.