Lipemia and its associations with liver disease and dyslipidemia: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Lipemia is characterized by a milky appearance of plasma, which can be easily detected using an automated clinical chemistry analyzer. To date, few studies have evaluated the relationship between lipemia values and clinical test data other than lipid parameters. This study aimed to analyze the relationship among lipemia, clinical test data, and associated disorders. Methods This cross-sectional study examined 730 specimens from patients with and without lipemia who visited the Niigata University Medical and Dental Hospital in Japan. The participants were divided according to their lipemia index (LIP) into non- (< 1.5 LIP), low- (1.5–4.9 LIP), and high-lipemia (≥ 5.0 LIP) groups. Twenty-seven clinical analytes were analyzed, and their associations with the extent of lipemia were investigated using group comparisons, multinomial logistic regression, and correlation analyses. The prevalence of dyslipidemia and liver disease was also evaluated in the lipemic group. Results The lipemic group exhibited higher total cholesterol and triglyceride levels than the non-lipemia group (P < 0.01). The high-lipemia group demonstrated significantly higher median liver chemistries than the non-lipemia group: aspartate aminotransferase, 27 U/L (interquartile range [IQR], 22–35 U/L) vs. 23 U/L (IQR, 20–28 U/L); gamma-glutamyltransferase, 39 U/L (IQR, 26–79 U/L) vs. 24 U/L (IQR, 16–40 U/L) (P < 0.01). Individuals in the high-lipemia group had a higher complication rate of concomitant dyslipidemia and liver disease. Conclusion Lipemia was associated with elevated lipid metabolism-related parameters and liver chemistries. The LIP can be used to evaluate risks associated with liver disease and dyslipidemia.