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The standard lipid profile directly measures total-cholesterol (C), triglyceride (TG), and HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. In contrast, LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) usually is calculated with the Friedewald equation:
LDL = total C − HDL − (TG/5)
The last term of the equation actually represents VLDL cholesterol (VLDL-C) and assumes a fixed TG:VLDL-C ratio of 5. However, because TG:VLDL-C ratios vary, this method can lead to inaccurate LDL-C estimates, especially when TG levels are high. In this study, U.S. investigators used a large database of lipid profiles to develop and validate a table of TG:VLDL-C ratios that vary with actual TG and non–HDL-C levels.
Researchers compared directly measured LDL-C levels with LDL-C levels that were estimated usi…