Enzymic assay of plasma cholesterol: a comparison of analytical variations found using the Greiner GSA II and the Technicon SMA 12/60 and SMA II.

Cholesterol was assayed on the Greiner GSA II and the Technicon SMA 12/60 and SMA II autoanalyzers, with Allain's entirely enzymic method (Allain et al. (1974), Clin. Chem. 20, 470--475). The coefficients of variation in the results over a period of one month were less than 6% with the GSA II and the SMA II, but up to 9% on the SMA 12/60. Although the accuracy of the enzymic method depends on the specificity of the cholesterol oxidase and cholesterol esterase, the results were in good agreement with those obtained by Abell's method (Abell et al. (1952), J. Biol. Chem. 195, 357--366) on fresh or freeze dried human plasma. The cholesterol concentration was stable at 4 degrees C, or in frozen or freeze dried plasma. None of the drugs tested interfered with the enzymic assay.