Noninvasive Skin Cholesterol Test

A clinical trial has shown that skin cholesterol is an effective way of identifying patients who have a build-up of plaque in their arteries. The results of the trial, which involved 400 patients, showed that high levels of skin cholesterol closely paralleled coronary artery blockage. Patients in the trial also underwent angiography to detect artery blockage.

The test used in the trial, called Cholesterol 1, 2, 3, does not involve blood, fasting, or waiting hours or days for results. It is a three-minute test done with two drops of liquid on the palm of the hand. A color change is read with a highly sensitive reader and provides a doctor with a quantifiable result that indicates the patient's risk for cardiovascular disease.

The test was developed by International Medical Innovations Inc. (IMI, Toronto, Canada). "At the same time, we are continuing research to confirm that skin cholesterol can be used to monitor a patient's response to cholesterol-lowering therapies,” said Dr. Brent Norton, president of IMI. "That could also lead to a home version of the Cholesterol 1, 2, 3 test.”



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