Reference ranges for blood tests

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A reference range is a set of values used by a health professional to interpret a set of medical test results. The range is usually defined as the set of values 95% of the normal population falls within.

The reference range will vary, depending on the age, sex and race of a population, and even the instruments the laboratory uses to perform the tests. Furthermore, by definition, 5% of the normal population will fall outside the reference range.

Contents

[edit] Clinical biochemistry

  • Items marked with a ** are part of "CHEM-7"[1] and CHEM-20
  • Items marked with a * are part of "CHEM-20"[2], but not CHEM-7

[edit] Electrolytes and Metabolites

Electrolytes and Metabolites:

Test [3] Patient type Low [3] High[3] Unit Comments
** Sodium (Na) 135 145 mmol/L
** Potassium (K) 3.5 5.1 mmol/L
Chloride (Cl) 98 107 mmol/L
Osmolality 275 295 mOsm/kg
Urea 2.5 6.4 mmol/L ** BUN - blood urea nitrogen
7 18 mg/dL
** Creatinine male 62 115 μmol/L May be complemented with creatinine clearance
0.7 1.3 mg/dL
female 53 97 μmol/L
0.6 1.1 mg/dL
** Glucose (fasting) 3.9 5.8 mmol/L See also glycosylated hemoglobin
70 105 mg/dL
Serum iron[4] male 65 176 µg/dL
female 50 170
newborns 100 250
children 50 120
TIBC 240 450
Transferrin saturation 20 50  %

[edit] Acid and base

Further information: Acid base physiology
Further information: Arterial blood gas
Test Low High Unit Comments
pH 7.35 7.45
base excess -3 +3
PO2 10 13 kPa
** PCO2 4.8 5.8 kPa
Bicarbonate (HCO3-) 18 23 mmol/L
Standard bicarbonate (SBCe) 21 27 mmol/L

[edit] Liver function

Further information: Liver function tests
Test Low High Unit Comments
* Total Protein 60 80 g/L
* Albumin 35[5] 50 g/L
* Total Bilirubin 2 14 μmol/L
* Direct Bilirubin 0 4 μmol/L
* Alanine transaminase (ALT) 8 40 U/L Also called serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT)
* Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) 40 130 U/L Higher in children and pregnant women.
* Gamma glutamyl transferase n/a 50 U/L

[edit] Other enzymes and proteins

Test Low High Unit Comments
Creatine kinase (CK) - male 24[6] 195 U/L
Creatine kinase (CK) - female 24[7] 170 U/L
* Aspartate transaminase (AST) 8 35 U/L Also called serum glutamic oxatoacetic transaminase (SGOT)
* Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) 85 285 U/L
Amylase n/a 120[8] U/L
C-reactive protein (CRP) n/a 5[9] mg/L
D-dimer n/a 500 ng/mL

[edit] Other ions and trace metals

Further information: Trace metals
Test Low High Unit Comments
Ionised calcium (Ca) 1.15 1.29 mmol/L Some calcium is bound to albumin, thus not measured by certain techniques.
* Total calcium (Ca) 2.05 2.55 mmol/L
Phosphate (HPO42−) 0.8 1.5 [10] mM
Copper (Cu) 11[11] 24 μmol/L
Zinc (Zn) 10 17 μmol/L

[edit] Lipids

Further information: Blood lipids
Test Low High Unit Comments
Triglycerides 0.4 2 mmol/L
* Total cholesterol 3 5.0[12] mmol/L
HDL cholesterol (male) 0.7 1.9 mmol/L
HDL cholesterol (female) 0.9 2.4 mmol/L
LDL cholesterol 2.4 3[12] mmol/L Not valid when triglycerides >5.0 mmol/L.

[edit] Tumour markers

Further information: Tumour markers
Test Low High Unit Comments
Alpha fetoprotein (AFP) n/a 10 kU/l
Alpha 1-antitrypsin (AAT) 20 53 mmol/L 150-350 mg/dL
Beta Human chorionic gonadotrophin (bHCG) n/a 5 IU/l
CA-125 (also CA12.5) n/a 35 U/ml
CA15.3 n/a 28 U/ml
CA19.9 n/a 40 U/ml
Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) - non-smokers n/a 3 μg/l
Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) - smokers n/a 5 μg/l
Prostate specific antigen (PSA) n/a 4 μg/L

[edit] Hormones

Further information: Hormones
Test Low High Unit Comments
Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) 0.3 3.0 mIU/L Also called: Thyrotropin
Free thyroxine (FT4) 9 24 pmol/L
Free triiodothyronine (FT3) 2.5 5.3 pmol/L
Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) 1.3 15 pmol/L
Cortisol (0830 h) 250 850 nmol/L Cortisol levels are higher in the morning than at night.
Cortisol (1630 h) 110 390 nmol/L
Prolactin (male) n/a 450 mIU/L
Prolactin (female) n/a 580 mIU/L
Testosterone (male) 8 38 nmol/L
Testosterone (male prepuberty) 0.1 0.5 nmol/L
Testosterone (female) 0.3 2.5 nmol/L

[edit] Hematology

Category Test Low High Unit Comments
Red blood cells Haemoglobin (Hb) (male) 140 180 g/L Higher in neonates, lower in children.
Haemoglobin (Hb) (female) 115 160 g/L Sex difference negligible until adulthood.
Haematocrit (Hct) (male) 0.38 0.52
Haematocrit (Hct) (female) 0.35 0.47
Mean cell volume (MCV) 80 98 fL Cells are larger in neonates, though smaller in other children.
Mean cell haemoglobin (MCH) 26 34 pg
Red cell count (male) 4.5 6.5 x1012/L
Red cell count (female) 3.8 5.8 x1012/L
Reticulocytes 10 100 x109/L
White blood cells Total white blood cells 4 11
  • x109/L
  • x103/mm3 or μL
Higher in neonates and infants.
Neutrophil granulocytes 2 7.5 x109/L 45-74%. Also known as granulocytes (grans), polys, PMNs, or segs.
Lymphocytes 1.3 4 x109/L 16-45%
Monocytes 0.2 0.8 x109/L 4.0-10%
Mononuclear leukocytes 1.5 5 x109/L 20-50% (mean: 35%). Lymphocytes + monocytes.
CD4+ cells 0.2 [13] 2 x109/L
Eosinophil granulocytes 0.04 0.4 x109/L 0.0-7.0%
Basophil granulocytes 0.01 0.1 x109/L 0.0-2.0%
Coagulation Platelets 150 400 x109/L
Prothrombin time (PT)[14] 11 13.5 s PT reference varies between laboratory kits - INR is standardised
INR 0.9 1.2 The INR is a corrected ratio of a patients PT to normal
Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) 29 41 s
Thrombin clotting time (TCT) 11 18 s
Fibrinogen 1.8 4 g/L
Bleeding time 2 9 minutes

[edit] Immunology

Category Test Low High Unit Comments
Acute phase protein
markers of Inflammation
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
(ESR)
0 Men: Age÷2
Women:(Age+10)÷2[15]
mm/hr ESR increases with age and tends to be higher in females.[16]
C-reactive protein (CRP) 0 6 mg/L
Autoantibodies Antinuclear antibodies (ANA)
Extractable nuclear antigen (ENA)
Rheumatoid factor (RF) 0 20 IU/mL High levels not specific for Rheumatoid Arthritis alone.
Serology Antistreptolysin O titre
(ASOT)
n/a 100 (in preschoolers)
200 (older children)
units/mL

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ MedlinePlus Encyclopedia 003462
  2. ^ MedlinePlus Encyclopedia 003468
  3. ^ a b c Unless else specified in boxes, then ref is: Ashwood, Edward R.; Tietz, Norbert W.; Burtis, Carl A. (1994). Tietz textbook of clinical chemistry, 2nd edition, Philadelphia: Saunders. ISBN 0-7216-4472-4. 
  4. ^ Slon S (9/22/06). Serum Iron. University of Illinois Medical Center. Retrieved on 2006-07-06.
  5. ^ 288686147 at GPnotebook
  6. ^ 1436155929 at GPnotebook
  7. ^ 1436155929 at GPnotebook
  8. ^ 309002307 at GPnotebook
  9. ^ 946536472 at GPnotebook
  10. ^ Walter F., PhD. Boron. Medical Physiology: A Cellular And Molecular Approaoch. Elsevier/Saunders. ISBN 1-4160-2328-3.  Page 849
  11. ^ 1040580630 at GPnotebook
  12. ^ a b -214630397 at GPnotebook
  13. ^ 1993 Revised Classification System for HIV Infection and Expanded Surveillance Case Definition for AIDS Among Adolescents and Adults. CDC (1992). Retrieved on 2006-02-09.
  14. ^ MedlinePlus Encyclopedia 003652
  15. ^ Miller A, Green M, Robinson D (1983). "Simple rule for calculating normal erythrocyte sedimentation rate". Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 286 (6361): 266. PMID 6402065. Full text at PMC: 6402065. 
  16. ^ Böttiger LE, Svedberg CA (1967). "Normal erythrocyte sedimentation rate and age". Br Med J 2 (5544): 85–7. PMID 6020854. Full text at PMC: 6020854. 

[edit] External links

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