A single device for testing each of total cholesterol, HDL, and triglyceride concentrations of a whole blood sample is disclosed. The device includes an inlet (10) for blood plasma and a transfer element (200) in fluid communication with the inlet (10), the transfer element (200) including a plurality of channels (210, 220, 230), each channel allowing capillary flow of blood plasma from the inlet (10) to a respective testing region (1, 2, 3). A channel (230) has a multiplicity of corners (235) which define a zigzag profile.

A kit used for fractionation of small dense LDL cholesterol (sdLDL-C) in a sample, including: a first reagent composition having one or two or more activities selected from the group consisting of cholesterol esterase activity, cholesterol oxidase activity, and sphingomyelinase activity; and a second reagent composition for quantifying the sdLDL-C, in which in an absorption spectrum after storing the first reagent composition at 37° C. for 2 weeks, a ratio R1 represented by ABS400/ABS450 is 0.90 or more and 3.00 or less, and in an absorption spectrum after storing the second reagent composition at 37° C. for 2 weeks, a ratio R1 represented by ABS400/ABS450 is 0.90 or more and 8.00 or less.

A kit used for fractionation of small dense LDL cholesterol (sdLDL-C) in a sample, including: a first reagent composition having one or two or more activities selected from the group consisting of cholesterol esterase activity, cholesterol oxidase activity, and sphingomyelinase activity; and a second reagent composition for quantifying the sdLDL-C, in which in an absorption spectrum after storing the first reagent composition at 37° C. for 2 weeks, a ratio R1 represented by ABS400/ABS450 is 0.90 or more and 3.00 or less, and in an absorption spectrum after storing the second reagent composition at 37° C. for 2 weeks, a ratio R1 represented by ABS400/ABS450 is 0.90 or more and 8.00 or less.

The present invention relates to a method for measuring the cholesterol uptake capacity of lipoproteins. The present invention also relates to a reagent kit for measuring the cholesterol uptake capacity of lipoproteins. The present invention further relates to a tagged cholesterol which can be used in the method and the reagent kit.

The present invention relates to a method for measuring the cholesterol uptake capacity of lipoproteins. The present invention also relates to a reagent kit for measuring the cholesterol uptake capacity of lipoproteins. The present invention further relates to a tagged cholesterol which can be used in the method and the reagent kit.

Provided is a method of assisting the detection of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is far less invasive than liver biopsy and is based on simple operations that do not require skilled technical personnel.

The present invention is a method of assisting the detection of NASH, which includes: a) measuring the amount of LDL-TG contained in a test blood sample isolated from a living body; b) measuring the amount of at least one component selected from the group consisting of LDL-C, LDL subfraction-C, IIDL-C, HDL subfraction-C, ApoB, ApoE, total cholesterol, ALT, and AST contained in the test blood sample; and c) determining the possibility of developing and/or having NASH by using the amount of LDL-TG in combination with the amount of the at least one component.

Provided is a method of assisting the detection of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is far less invasive than liver biopsy and is based on simple operations that do not require skilled technical personnel.

The present invention is a method of assisting the detection of NASH, which includes: a) measuring the amount of LDL-TG contained in a test blood sample isolated from a living body; b) measuring the amount of at least one component selected from the group consisting of LDL-C, LDL subfraction-C, IIDL-C, HDL subfraction-C, ApoB, ApoE, total cholesterol, ALT, and AST contained in the test blood sample; and c) determining the possibility of developing and/or having NASH by using the amount of LDL-TG in combination with the amount of the at least one component.

Methods of the invention involve determining a patient's compliance with a cholesterol lowering therapy. In certain aspects, the invention provides methods that involve conducting a first assay to determine a cholesterol biomarker level in a first sample from a patient prior to the patient undergoing a cholesterol lowering therapy. The methods may also involve conducting a second assay to determine a cholesterol level in a second sample obtained from the patient after the patient has started undergoing a cholesterol lowering therapy. Additionally, the methods involve associating the cholesterol level and the cholesterol biomarker level in which the association allows for the determination of the patient's compliance with the cholesterol lowering therapy.

Methods of the invention involve determining a patient's compliance with a cholesterol lowering therapy. In certain aspects, the invention provides methods that involve conducting a first assay to determine a cholesterol biomarker level in a first sample from a patient prior to the patient undergoing a cholesterol lowering therapy. The methods may also involve conducting a second assay to determine a cholesterol level in a second sample obtained from the patient after the patient has started undergoing a cholesterol lowering therapy. Additionally, the methods involve associating the cholesterol level and the cholesterol biomarker level in which the association allows for the determination of the patient's compliance with the cholesterol lowering therapy.

The object is to provide a novel enzyme exhibiting cholesterol dehydrogenase activity. Provided is a mutant enzyme having an amino acid sequence of a microorganism-derived cholesterol oxidase, which is composed of: (1) an amino acid corresponding to the amino acid at the position 113 of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (2) an amino acid corresponding to the amino acid at the position 362 of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (3) an amino acid corresponding to the amino acid at the position 402 of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (4) an amino acid corresponding to the amino acid at the position 412 of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (5) an amino acid corresponding to the amino acid at the position 468 of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; and others.