Table 1.
Summary of main advantages and disadvantages of methods for lipoprotein subfractions determination
| Method | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Analytic ultracentrifugation | Precision and reproducibility | Unfeasible for clinical practice, due to low availability high cost and time consuming |
| Vertical auto profile-II | Simple procedures and high sensitivity | Low correlation to NMR and electrophoresis |
| Gradient gel electrophoresis | Determination of LDL and HDL size distribution directly from blood samples | Accuracy depends on correct standards and quality control Provides only the size of predominant species or average size |
| Linear polyacrylamide gel | Useful for clinical labs since it is simple and fast | High cost |
| Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy | No need of physically separation of the subfractions and fast procedure | Dependent of mathematical assumptions |
| Immunoaffinity chromatography/ion mobility | Ability to isolate two HDL subfractions | Low availability and scarce data regarding efficiency |