[Criteria for addition of apolipoprotein B measurement during routine health screening examinations: validation in a Stanislas cohort. The Biologist's Group of the Health Examination Center].

The purpose of this study was to determine the criteria in which apolipoproteins AI and B should be performed during periodic health screening examinations. Clinically, the results of apolipoproteins AI and B are most useful when there are minor lipid perturbations (cholesterol and triglycerides), but their routine determination is not justified. Several mathematical models, defined by discriminate factorial analysis, have been studied. The one based uniquely on cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations was the most efficient in identifying patients in whom apolipoprotein B should be determined. In contrast, no model was found for the indication of apolipoprotein AI determination. Data from a population different from that used for the model establishment were used to validate the model. This strategy, determining criteria for additional measurement of apolipoprotein B in a general population, is of clinical interest because it may provide complementary information for subjects with atherogenic risk. Moreover, it is of economical interest because it has the potential of limiting complementary testing and its associated costs.