Special issue: Responsible writing in science

Introduction: Lipemic specimens are a common and frequent, but yet unresolved problem in clinical chemistry, and may produce signifi cant interferences in the analytical results of diff erent biochemical parameters. Material and methods: The aim of this study was to examine the eff ect of lipid removal using ultracentrifugation of lipemic samples, on some routine biochemistry parameters. Among all the samples obtained daily in our laboratory, the ones which were visibly muddy were selected and underwent to a process of ultracentrifugation, being determined a variety of biochemical tests before and after ultracentrifugation. A total of 110 samples were studied. Results: We found signifi cant diff erences in all the parameters studied except for total bilirubin, glucose, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). The greatest diff erences in the parameters analyzed were found in the concentration of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (7.36%) and the smallest ones in the concentration of glucose (0.014%). Clinically signifi cant interferences were found for phosphorus, creatinine, total protein and calcium. Conclusion: Lipemia causes clinically signifi cant interferences for phosphorus, creatinine, total protein and calcium measurement and those interferences could be eff ectively removed by ultracentrifugation.