Abstract
Cholesterol esters in 20 μl of plasma are hydrolysed with hot ethanolic KOH. Preformed cholesterol and cholesterol released by hydrolysis is reacted with cholesterol oxidase to form hydrogen peroxide and cholest-4-en-3-one, which is extracted from alkaline 50% v/v ethanolic solution with iso-octane. The absorbance of the ketone in iso-octane at the 232 nm peak is used to measure the cholesterol originally present. Plasma blanks obtained by omitting the cholesterol oxidase from the reagent show negligible absorbance even when the samples are grossly icteric, lipaemic, or haemolysed. The test is carried out in a single glass screw-capped tube, and the absorbance given by a sample containing 6·25 mmol/l cholesterol is ≏ 0·44, corresponding to a molar absorbance of ≏ 17 500. The conversion of cholesterol to cholest-4-en-3-one is stoichiometric, and the absorbance of the iso-octane layer is stable for at least 48 hours. A single determination occupies 30 minutes; 30 samples can be analysed in 1½ hours.