	community	directory	books	authors	images	encyclopedia

Email:
Password:
Register

Knowledgerush Search

Search for images of Reference ranges for common blood tests

Message boards Post comment

Reference ranges for common blood tests

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.

It must be remembered that the reference range will vary, depending on the age, sex and race of a population, and even the machines the laboratory uses to do the tests. Also remember that by definition 5% of the normal population will fall outside the reference range.

These are approximate adult values that are intended as a guide to students and those interested, they are not a substitute for medical advice.

Clinical biochemistry

Electrolytes and Metabolytes

Test	Range	Comments
Sodium (Na)	130 - 145 mmol/L
Potassium (K)	3.5 - 5.0 mmol/L
Urea	2.6 - 6.8 mmol/L
Creatinine	50 - 110 μmol/L
Glucose (fasting)	4.2 - 6.1 mmol/L

Liver function tests

Total Protein	60 - 80 g/L
Albumin	30 - 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	< 50 U/L

Other enzymes and proteins

Creatine kinase (CK)
Aspartate transaminase (AST)	8 - 35 U/L
Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)	85 - 285 U/L
Amylase	25 - 125 U/L
C-reactive protein (CRP)	<8 mg/L

Other ions and trace metals

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
Copper (Cu)	11 - 26 μmol/L
Zinc (Zn)	10 - 17 μmol/L

Lipids

Triglycerides	0.4 - 2.0 mmol/L
Total cholesterol	3.0 - 5.5 mmol/L
HDL cholesterol (male)	0.7 - 1.9 mmol/L
(female)	0.9 - 2.4 mmol/L
LDL cholesterol	2.4 - 4.0 mmol/l	Not valid when triglycerides >5.0 mmol/L.

Tumour markers

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)	1-15 kIU/L
CA-125	<65 kU/L
Prostate specific antigen (total PSA)	<2.0 μg/L	After age 40, normal levels increase every decade.

Hormones

Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)	0.5 - 4.7 mIU/L	Also called: Thyrotropin
Free thyroxine (FT₄)	9.0 - 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)	<450 mIU/L
(female)	<580 mIU/L
Testosterone (male)	8 - 38 nmol/L
(male prepuberty)	0.1 - 0.5 nmol/L
(female)	0.3 - 2.5 nmol/L

Haematology

Red blood cells

Haemoglobin (Hb) (male)	130 - 180 g/L	Higher in neonates, lower in children.
(female)	115 - 160 g/L	Sex difference negligible until adulthood.
Haematocrit (Hct) (male)	0.38 - 0.52
(female)	0.35 - 0.47
Mean cell volume (MCV)	80 - 98 fL
Mean cell haemoglobin (MCH)	26 - 34 pg
Red cell count (male)	4.5 - 6.5 x10¹²/L
(female)	3.8 - 5.8 x10¹²/L
Reticulocytes	10 - 100 x10⁹/L
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)

White blood cells

Total white blood cells	4.0 - 11.0 x10⁹/L	Higher in neonates and infants.
Neutrophils	2.0 - 7.5 x10⁹/L
Lymphocytes	1.0 - 4.0 x10⁹/L
Monocytes	0.0 - 0.8 x10⁹/L
Eosinophils	0.0 - 0.5 x10⁹/L
Basophils	0.0 - 0.2 x10⁹/L

Coagulation

Prothrombin time (PT)	7 - 10 s
INR	0.8 - 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 - 4.0 g/L
Bleeding time	2 - 8 minutes

Immunology

Antinuclear antibodies (ANA)
Extractable nuclear antigen (ENA)

Serology

Referenced By

Compose Your Message

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Reference ranges for common blood tests".