Lipemia most commonly results from a state of non-fasting. Dietary fats, namely the chylomicron forms of lipoproteins, are visible to the naked eye, and the sample appears creamy white or turbid.
If, however, the patient is indeed in a state of fasting and the sample is lipemic, it may be a sign of a serious underlying disorder. Examples may include pancreatitis, where the pancreas is not producing adequate lipase to help digest the circulating fats, or a hereditary lipoproteinemia, where a genetic defect in lipoprotein receptors affects their uptake by the liver for metabolism.
Lipemia, regardless of the cause and its impact on the analysis, should be reported as a comment on the laboratory results.
