Automated measurement of total cholesterol and triglycerides, in "tandem," on the discrete sample analyzer, Gilford System 3500.

We have developed an automated procedure on a discrete sample analyzer, Gilford System 3500, which alternately measures both total serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations as a "tandem" procedure. We used Dow Diagnostic's fully enzymatic, colorimetric reagents and aqueous standards to calculate unknowns ratiometrically. Cholesterol and then triglyceride reagent are dispensed into alternate cups; the produced color at 500 nm is measured after an ambient temperature incubation of 20 min. Reagent and sample carryover is less than 1.6%. Correlation coefficients of 0.997 for comparison for both automated tests with the manual methods at 30 degrees C and a typical CV of less than 2.0% show this "tandem" procedure to be reliable and accurate.