Test Code 251(Includes total cholesterol, HDL and non-HDL)
Test Details
Non-High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (Non-HDL-C)
Non-HDL-C is a calculation that represents the cholesterol carried by all atherogenic particles including:
- Chylomicron remnants
- VLDL
- IDL
- LDL
- Lp(a)
Methodology
Non-HDL-C is calculated as follows:
Non-HDL-C = Total cholesterol – High-density cholesterol
Patient Preparation
8-12 hour fast prior to collection. Patient may drink water only.
Preferred Specimen
1.0 mL serum (0.5 mL minimum) collected in serum separator tube (SST/Tiger Top)
Alternate Specimen
1.0 mL EDTA plasma (0.5 mL minimum) collected in plasma separator tube (Pearl Top)
Transport Temperature
Refrigerated (ship on frozen cold packs)
Stability
Refrigerated: 7 days
Lab Values
Non-High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (Non-HDL-C)
| Age | Optimal | Borderline | Increased Risk |
| ≤18 yrs | <120 mg/dL | 120 – 144 mg/dL | >144 mg/dL |
| >18 yrs with CVD | <100 mg/dL | 100 – 130 mg/dL | >130 mg/dL |
| >18 yrs without CVD | <130 mg/dL | 130 – 190 mg/dL | >190 mg/dL |
Clinical Significance
Non-High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (Non-HDL-C)
- When TGs are high, LDL-C does not accurately reflect the amount of circulating atherogenic particles. In this situation, non-HDL-C may be a better predictor of CVD risk than LDL-C.1-2
- Non-HDL-C has been shown in many studies to be superior to calculated LDL-C in predicting heart disease risk.1-2
References:
- Goff DC Jr, Lloyd-Jones DM, Bennett G, et al. 2013 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. Circulation. 2014;129(25 Suppl 2):S49-73.
- Stone NJ, Robinson J, Lichtenstein AH, et al. 2013 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Treatment of Blood Cholesterol to Reduce Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Risk in Adults: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. Circulation. 2014;129(25 Suppl 2):S49-73.
Treatment Options
Non-High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (Non-HDL-C)
- Lifestyle modification
- Statins
- Niacin
- Fibrates
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- Bile acid sequestrants
- Cholesterol absorption inhibitors
