What might explain an intermittent spike in triglycerides after testing for lipase in a chemistry profile?

An intermittent spike in triglycerides after testing for lipase in a chemistry profile is best explained by carryover due to reagent interactions. In a laboratory setting, different analytes can sometimes interfere with each other, especially when they are processed on the same analyzer. This can lead to carryover effects, where residual substances from one test influence the results of subsequent tests.

For example, if lipase testing was performed just prior to triglyceride measurement on the same instrument, remnants of the lipase reagents could potentially affect the triglyceride assay, causing falsely elevated results. This scenario highlights the importance of rigorous cleaning protocols and appropriate handling between tests to minimize such artifacts.

While specificity issues with reagents, sample pipetting errors, and response times can affect results, they do not specifically account for the spikes in triglycerides observed after lipase testing in the same manner that reagent carryover does, making carryover the most plausible explanation in this context.