Biomarker Lens

Common biomarkers

  • Hemoglobin
  • Glucose
  • ALT
  • Apolipoprotein B
  • C-Reactive Protein, Cardiac
  • Ferritin
  • Alb/Creat Ratio, Urine
  • Alkaline Phosphatase
  • FSH
  • T4,Free(Direct)

Biomarkers · Chemical

HDL Cholesterol

Also listed as
hdl-c, good cholesterol, high density lipoprotein
Primary unit
mg/dL
LOINC codes
2085-9
Tests that measure HDL Cholesterol
Labcorp 33, Quest Diagnostics 16

Ranges

Each lab publishes a reference range for the population groups it tests, usually the middle 95% of results. These intervals describe that population, not an optimal or healthy target. How ranges differ

Quest Diagnostics, HDL Cholesterol 608

Provider contextMale (mg/dL)Female (mg/dL)
<20 Years>45>45
≥20 Years≥40≥50

Quest Diagnostics test catalog, 608

Quest Diagnostics, Cardio IQ® HDL Cholesterol 91719

Provider contextMale (mg/dL)Female (mg/dL)
<20 Years>45>45
≥20 Years≥40≥50

Quest Diagnostics test catalog, 91719

Tests

Check the catalog code, specimen, method and preparation for every test that measures HDL Cholesterol. Select up to five tests to compare them side by side.

Labcorp 33 tests

Single-analyte tests

  • High-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C) 001925

    Serum · No fasting · Turnaround Within 1 day

    Method and collection
    Method
    Enzymatic
    Preparation
    Patient should be on a normal diet and maintain a stable weight for a week prior to testing. Any drugs should be discontinued for three to four weeks if possible. Test should not be performed until three months after a myocardial infarction or similar traumatic episode, such as severe infection or inflammation. Fasting is not necessary.
    Collection
    Separate serum or plasma from cells within 45 minutes of collection.
    Reference notes
    >39 mg/dL
    Labcorp catalog page

Panels that include this biomarker

  • Lipid Profile, Nonfasting, Pediatric 373634

    3 analytes · Serum · No fasting · Turnaround Within 1 day

    Method and collection
    Method
    Enzymatic
    Preparation
    Nonfasting
    Collection
    Separate serum or plasma or from cells within 45 minutes of collection.
    Labcorp catalog page
  • Metabolic Syndrome Profile 335884

    3 analytes · Serum · Fasting not stated · Turnaround Within 1 day

    Method and collection
    Method
    Enzymatic
    Preparation
    Patient should be fasting for 12 to 14 hours and on a stable diet for two weeks prior to blood collection.
    Collection
    Separate serum or plasma from cells within 45 minutes of collection. Label gray-top tube as plasma.
    Labcorp catalog page
  • Non-HDL Cholesterol Profile 344265

    3 analytes · Serum · Fasting not stated · Turnaround Within 1 day

    Method and collection
    Method
    See individual tests.
    Preparation
    Patient should be on a stable diet, ideally for two to three weeks prior to collection of the specimen.
    Collection
    Separate serum from cells within 45 minutes of venipuncture. Lipid profiles are best avoided following acute myocardial infarct, for up to three months, although cholesterol can be measured in the first 24 hours.
    Labcorp catalog page
  • Familial Hypercholesterolemia Lipid Profile With Interpretation 409500

    5 analytes · Serum · No fasting · Turnaround Within 1 day

    Method and collection
    Method
    See individual tests.
    Preparation
    Patient should be on a stable diet, ideally for two to three weeks prior to collection of blood. Fasting is not necessary for this profile, however, fasting (12 to 14 hours preferred; eight hours acceptable) prior to collection of the specimen is recommended where the triglyceride value provides a prior diagnostic information such as screening for familial hypercholesterolemia or early onset heart disease, pancreatitis, or confirming hypertriglyceridemia.
    Collection
    Separate serum or plasma from cells within 45 minutes of collection. Lipid panels are best avoided for three months following acute myocardial infarction, although cholesterol can be measured in the first 24 hours.
    Reference notes
    See table. Interpretation Age (y) Total Cholesterol (mg/dL) LDL-calculated (mg/dL) FH lipid decision points are age dependent. Consider possible FH if either the Total Cholesterol or LDL-calculated values are exceeded. <16 | >260 | >155 ≥16 | >290 | >190
    Labcorp catalog page
  • Lipid Panel 303756

    5 analytes · Serum · No fasting · Turnaround Within 1 day

    Method and collection
    Method
    See individual tests.
    Preparation
    Patient should be on a stable diet, ideally for two to three weeks prior to collection of blood. Fasting is not necessary for this profile, however, fasting (12 to 14 hours preferred; eight hours acceptable) prior to collection of the specimen is recommended where the triglyceride value provides a prior diagnostic information such as screening for familial hypercholesterolemia or early onset heart disease, pancreatitis, or confirming hypertriglyceridemia.
    Collection
    Separate serum or plasma from cells within 45 minutes of collection. Lipid panels are best avoided for three months following acute myocardial infarction, although cholesterol can be measured in the first 24 hours.
    Labcorp catalog page

Quest Diagnostics 16 tests

Single-analyte tests

  • Cardio IQ® HDL Cholesterol 91719

    Serum · Fasting not stated · Turnaround Set up: Tues-Sat

    Method and collection
    Method
    Spectrophotometry (SP)
    Preparation
    If an HDL cholesterol measurement is to be performed along with triglycerides, but not part of a lipid panel, then the patient should be fasting 9-12 hours prior to collection. If the HDL-cholesterol is ordered as part of a lipid panel then a fasting sample is not required.
    Quest Diagnostics catalog page
  • HDL Cholesterol 608

    Serum · Fasting not stated · Turnaround Set up: Mon-Sat; Report available: 3 days

    Method and collection
    Method
    Spectrophotometry (SP)
    Preparation
    If an HDL cholesterol measurement is to be performed along with triglycerides, but not part of a lipid panel, then the patient should be fasting 9-12 hours prior to collection. If the HDL-cholesterol is ordered as part of a lipid panel, then a fasting sample is not required.
    Quest Diagnostics catalog page

Panels that include this biomarker

  • Cholesterol and HDL Cholesterol with Ratio 7432

    3 analytes · Serum · Fasting not stated

    Method and collection
    Method
    Spectrophotometry (SP)
    Preparation
    If a cholesterol measurement is to be performed along with triglycerides, the patient should be fasting 9-12 hours prior to collection. The assay manufacturer Beckman Coulter advises: "N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC), when administered in therapeutic concentrations (for the treatment of acetaminophen overdose), has been. . . determined to interfere with assays for. . . cholesterol, uric acid" where "NAC interference may lead to falsely low results." According to Beckman Coulter, the NAC interference should be insignificant by 12 hours after completion of the initial loading dose of an IV infusion treatment regimen consisting of an initial loading dose of 150 mg/kg administered over 1 hour, a second dose of 50 mg/kg administered over 4 hrs and a third dose of 100 mg/kg administered over 16 hrs.
    Collection
    Centrifuge within 30-60 minutes following collection
    Reference notes
    Total Cholesterol Male (mg/dL) Female (mg/dL) <20 Years <170 <170 ≥20 Years <200 <200 HDL Cholesterol <20 Years >45 >45 ≥20 Years ≥40 ≥50 Cholesterol/HDL Ratio (Calc) <5.0 <5.0
    Quest Diagnostics catalog page
  • Lipid Panel, Non-Fasting without Triglycerides 91247

    4 analytes · Serum · Fasting not stated

    Method and collection
    Method
    Spectrophotometry (SP)
    Preparation
    If a cholesterol measurement is to be performed along with triglycerides, but not part of a lipid panel, then the patient should be fasting 9-12 hours prior to collection. If the cholesterol is ordered as part of a lipid panel, then a fasting sample is not required. The assay manufacturer Beckman Coulter advises: N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC), when administered in therapeutic concentrations (for the treatment of acetaminophen overdose), has been determined to interfere with assays for cholesterol and uric acid where "NAC interference may lead to falsely low results." According to Beckman Coulter, the NAC interference should be insignificant by 12 hours after completion of the initial loading dose of an IV infusion treatment regimen consisting of an initial loading dose of 150 mg/kg administered over 1 hour, a second dose of 50 mg/kg administered over 4 hours and a third dose of 100 mg/kg administered over 16 hours.
    Reference notes
    Total Cholesterol | Male (mg/dL) | Female (mg/dL) <20 Years | <170 | <170 ≥20 Years | <200 | <200 HDL Cholesterol <20 Years | >45 | >45 ≥20 Years | ≥40 | ≥50 Cholesterol/HDL Ratio (calc) | <5.0 | <5.0 Non-HDL Cholesterol (calc) <20 Years | <120 | <120 ≥20 Years | <130 | <130
    Quest Diagnostics catalog page
  • Lipid Panel with Reflex to Direct LDL 14852

    6 analytes · Serum · Fasting not stated

    Method and collection
    Method
    Spectrophotometry (SP)
    Preparation
    If a cholesterol measurement is to be performed along with triglycerides, but not part of a lipid panel, then the patient should be fasting 9-12 hours prior to collection. If the cholesterol is ordered as part of a lipid panel, then a fasting sample is not required. The assay manufacturer Beckman Coulter advises: N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC), when administered in therapeutic concentrations (for the treatment of acetaminophen overdose), has been determined to interfere with assays for cholesterol and uric acid where "NAC interference may lead to falsely low results." According to Beckman Coulter, the NAC interference should be insignificant by 12 hours after completion of the initial loading dose of an IV infusion treatment regimen consisting of an initial loading dose of 150 mg/kg administered over 1 hour, a second dose of 50 mg/kg administered over 4 hours and a third dose of 100 mg/kg administered over 16 hours.
    Collection
    Centrifuge within 30-60 minutes following collection
    Reference notes
    Total Cholesterol Male (mg/dL) Female (mg/dL) <20 Years <170 <170 ≥20 Years <200 <200 HDL Cholesterol <20 Years >45 >45 ≥20 Years ≥40 ≥50 Triglycerides ≤9 Years <75 <75 10-19 Years <90 <90 ≥20 Years <150 <150 LDL-Cholesterol (Calc) <20 Years <110 <110 ≥20 Years <100 <100 Cholesterol/HDL Ratio (Calc) <5.0 <5.0 Non-HDL Cholesterol <20 Years <120 <120 ≥20 Years <130 <130
    Quest Diagnostics catalog page
  • Lipid Panel, Standard 7600

    6 analytes · Serum · Fasting not stated

    Method and collection
    Method
    Spectrophotometry (SP)
    Preparation
    If a cholesterol measurement is to be performed along with triglycerides, but not part of a lipid panel, then the patient should be fasting 9-12 hours prior to collection. If the cholesterol is ordered as part of a lipid panel, then a fasting sample is not required. The assay manufacturer Beckman Coulter advises: N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC), when administered in therapeutic concentrations (for the treatment of acetaminophen overdose), has been determined to interfere with assays for cholesterol and uric acid where "NAC interference may lead to falsely low results." According to Beckman Coulter, the NAC interference should be insignificant by 12 hours after completion of the initial loading dose of an IV infusion treatment regimen consisting of an initial loading dose of 150 mg/kg administered over 1 hour, a second dose of 50 mg/kg administered over 4 hours and a third dose of 100 mg/kg administered over 16 hours.
    Reference notes
    Total Cholesterol | Male (mg/dL) | Female (mg/dL) <20 Years | <170 | <170 ≥20 Years | <200 | <200 HDL Cholesterol <20 Years | >45 | >45 ≥20 Years | ≥40 | ≥50 Triglycerides ≤9 Years | <75 | <75 10-19 Years | <90 | <90 ≥20 Years | <150 | <150 LDL-Cholesterol (calc) <20 Years | <110 | <110 ≥20 Years | <100 | <100 Cholesterol/HDL Ratio (calc) | <5.0 | <5.0 Non-HDL Cholesterol (calc) <20 Years | <120 | <120 ≥20 Years | <130 | <130
    Quest Diagnostics catalog page
  • Lipoprotein Fractionation Ultracentrifugation 36435

    6 analytes · Serum · Fasting not stated · Turnaround Set up: Mon-Fri (a.m.); Report available: 7 days

    Method and collection
    Method
    Ultracentrifugation • Colorimetric • Enzymatic
    Preparation
    If a cholesterol measurement is to be performed along with triglycerides, but not part of a lipid panel, then the patient should be fasting 9-12 hours prior to collection. If the cholesterol is ordered as part of a lipid panel, then a fasting sample is not required. The assay manufacturer Beckman Coulter advises: N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC), when administered in therapeutic concentrations (for the treatment of acetaminophen overdose), has been determined to interfere with assays for cholesterol and uric acid where "NAC interference may lead to falsely low results." According to Beckman Coulter, the NAC interference should be insignificant by 12 hours after completion of the initial loading dose of an IV infusion treatment regimen consisting of an initial loading dose of 150 mg/kg administered over 1 hour, a second dose of 50 mg/kg administered over 4 hours and a third dose of 100 mg/kg administered over 16 hours.
    Collection
    Pleural fluid is not an acceptable specimen type
    Reference notes
    See Laboratory Report
    Quest Diagnostics catalog page

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Sources

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We compile this page from named laboratory catalogs, guidelines and studies. Labs calculate reference intervals from the people they test, for one assay method and one population group, so an interval describes that population rather than an optimal target.

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