REFERENCE VALUES FOR COMMONLY ORDERED TESTS
 
Analyte Specimen Reference value
Conventional units SI units
Adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) P 6.0–76.0 pg/mL 1.3–16.7 pmol/liter
Aminotransferases S

   Aspartate (AST, SGOT)
0–35 U/liter 0–0.58 μkat/liter
   Alanine (ALT, SGPT)
0–35 U/liter 0–0.58 μkat/liter
Ammonia (as NH3) P 10–80 μg/dL 6–47 μmol/liter
Amylase S 60–180 U/liter 0.8–3.2 μkat/liter
Anion gap S 7–16 mmol/liter 7–16 mmol/liter
Antinuclear antibody S Negative at 1:40 dilution N/A
Antithrombin III P

   Antigenic
22–39 mg/dL 220–390 mg/liter
   Functional
80–130% 0.8–1.30 U/liter
Arterial blood gases (sea level) WB, arterial

   Bicarbonate (HCO3–)
21–30 mEq/liter 21–28 mmol/liter
   Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2)
35–45 mm Hg 4.7–5.9 kPa
   pH
7.38–7.44 7.38–7.44
   Partial pressure of oxygen (PO2)
80–100 mm Hg 11–13 kPa
Bilirubin S

   Total
0.3–1.0 mg/dL 5.1–17.0 μmol/liter
   Direct
0.1–0.3 mg/dL 1.7–5.1 μmol/liter
   Indirect
0.2–0.7 mg/dL 3.4–12.0 μmol/liter
Bleeding time
2.0–9.5 min 2.0–9.5 min
Calcitonin S

   Male
3–26 pg/mL 3–26 ng/liter
   Female
2–17 pg/mL 2–17 ng/liter
Calcium S 9.0–10.5 mg/dL 2.2–2.6 mmol/liter
Calcium, ionized WB 4.5–5.6 mg/dL 1.1–1.4 mmol/liter
Carbon dioxide


   Content (sea level) P 21–30 mEq/liter 21–30 mmol/liter
   Partial pressure (PCO2) (sea level) WB, arterial 35–45 mm Hg 4.7–5.9 kPa
Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) S 0–3.4 ng/mL 0–3.4 μg/liter
Chloride S 98–106 mEq/liter 98–106 mmol/liter
Cholesterol (totals)1 P

      Desirable
<200 mg/dL <5.17 mmol/liter
      Borderline high
200–239 mg/dL 5.17–6.18 mmol/liter
      High
≥240 mg/dL ≥6.18 mmol/liter
   Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol P

      Desirable
<100 mg/dL <2.59 mmol/liter
      Near or above normal
100–129 mg/dL 2.59–3.34 mmol/liter
      Borderline high
130–159 mg/dL 3.36–4.11 mmol/liter
      High
160–189 mg/dL 4.13–4.88 mmol/liter
      Very high
≥190 mg/dL ≥4.91 mmol/liter
   High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol P

      Low
<40 mg/dL <1.03 mmol/liter
      High
≥60 mg/dL ≥1.55 mmol/liter
Copper S 70–140 μg/dL 11–22 μmol/liter
Cortisol S

   Fasting, 8 am–noon
5–25 μg/dL 138–690 nmol/liter
   Noon–8 pm
5–15 μg/dL 138–414 nmol/liter
   8 pm–8 am
0–10 μg/dL 0–276 nmol/liter
Creatine kinase (totals) S

   Male
60–400 U/liter 1.00–6.67 μkat/liter
   Female
40–150 U/liter 0.67–2.50 μkat/liter
   MB isoenzyme
0–7 ng/mL 0–7 μg/liter
Creatinine S <1.5 mg/dL <133 μmol/liter
Erythrocyte count WB

   Male
4.50–5.90 × 106/mm3 4.50–5.90 × 1012/liter
   Female
4.00–5.20 × 106/mm3 4.00–5.20 × 1012/liter
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate WB

   Male
0–17 mm/hr 0–17 mm/hr
   Female
1–25 mm/hr 1–25 mm/hr
Ferritin S

   Male
30–300 ng/mL 30–300 μg/liter
   Female
10–200 ng/mL 10–200 μg/liter
Fibrinogen P 150–400 mg/dL 1.50–4.00 g/liter
Folate (folic acid) S, P

   Normal
3.1–17.5 ng/mL 7.0–39.7 nmol/liter
   Borderline deficient
2.2–3.0 ng/mL 5.0–6.8 nmol/liter
   Deficient
<2.2 ng/mL <5.0 nmol/liter
   Excess
>17.5 ng/mL >39.7 nmol/liter
Folic acid RC 150–450 ng/mL/cells 340–1020 nmol/liter/cells
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) S, P

   Female, menstruating


      Follicular phase
3.0–20.0 mIU/mL 3.0–20.0 IU/liter
      Ovulatory phase
9.0–26.0 mIU/mL 9.0–26.0 IU/liter
      Luteal phase
1.0–12.0 mIU/mL 1.0–12.0 IU/liter
   Female, postmenopausal
18.0–153.0 mIU/mL 18.0–153.0 IU/liter
   Male
1.0–12.0 mIU/mL 1.0–12.0 IU/liter
Glucose P

   Fasting, normal
75–115 mg/dL 4.2–6.4 mmol/liter
   Fasting, diabetes mellitus
>125 mg/dL >7.0 mmol/liter
   2-hour postprandial
120 mg/dL <6.7 mmol/liter
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, erythrocyte WB No gross deficiency N/A
γ-Glutamyltransferase S 1–94 U/liter 1–94 U/liter
Haptoglobin S 16–199 mg/dL 0.16–1.99 g/liter
Hematocrit WB

   Male
41.0–53.0% 0.41–0.53
   Female
36.0–46.0% 0.36–0.46
Hemoglobin


   Plasma P 1–5 mg/dL 0.01–0.05 g/liter
   Whole blood, male WB 13.5–17.5 g/dL 8.4–10.9 mmol/liter
   Whole blood, female WB 12.0–16.0 g/dL 7.4–9.9 mmol/liter
Hemoglobin electrophoresis WB

   Hemoglobin A
95–98% 0.95–0.98
   Hemoglobin A1c
3.8–6.4% 0.038–0.064 Hg fraction
   Hemoglobin A2
1.5–3.5% 0.015–0.035
   Hemoglobin F
0–2.0% 0–0.02
   Hemoglobins other than A, A2, or F
Absent Absent
Iron (hematology and coagulation values) S 30–160 μg/dL 5.4–28.7 μmol/liter
Iron-binding capacity (hematology and coagulation values) S 228–428 μg/dL 40.8–76.7 μmol/liter
Iron (clinical chemistry values) S 50–150 μg/dL 9–27 μmol/liter
Iron-binding capacity (clinical chemistry values) S 250–370 μg/dL 45–66 μmol/liter
Lactate P, venous 5–15 mg/dL 0.6–1.7 mmol/liter
Lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes S

   Fraction 1 (of total)
14–26% 0.14–0.25
   Fraction 2
29–39% 0.29–0.39
   Fraction 3
20–26% 0.20–0.25
   Fraction 4
8–16% 0.08–0.16
   Fraction 5
6–16% 0.06–0.16
Lactate dehydrogenase S 100–190 U/liter 1.7–3.2 μkat/liter
Lead (adult) S <10–20 μg/dL <0.5–1 μmol/liter
Leukocyte count (WBC) WB 4.5–11.0 × 103/mm3 4.5–11 × 109/liter
Lipase S 0–160 U/liter 0–2.66 μkat/liter
Magnesium S 1.8–3.0 mg/dL 0.8–1.2 mmol/liter
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) WB 26.0–34.0 pg/cell 26.0–34.0 pg/cell
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) WB 31.0–37.0 g/dL 310–370 g/liter
Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) WB 80–100 μm3 80–100 fl
Osmolality P 285–295 mOsm/kg serum water 285–295 mmol/kg serum water
Oxygen


   Content (sea level) WB (arterial) 17–21 vol%
    WB (venous, arm) 10–16 vol%
   Saturation (sea level) WB (arterial) 97% 0.97 mol/mol
    WB (venous, arm) 60–85% 0.60–0.85 mol/mol
   Partial pressure (PO2) WB 80–100 mm Hg 11–13 kPa
Partial-thromboplastin time (activated) P 22.1–35.1 sec 22.1–35.1 sec
Phosphatase


   Acid S 0–5.5 U/liter 0.90 nkat/liter
   Alkaline S 30–120 U/liter 0.5–2.0 nkat/liter
Phosphorus, inorganic S 3–4.5 mg/dL 1.0–1.4 mmol/liter
Platelet count WB 150–350 × 103/mm3 150–350 × 109/liter
Potassium S 3.5–5.0 mEq/liter 3.5–5.0 mmol/liter
Progesterone S, P

   Female, menstruating


      Follicular
<0.2 ng/mL <0.6 nmol/liter
      Midluteal
3–20 ng/mL 9.54–63.6 nmol/liter
   Male
<0.2–1.4 ng/mL <0.60–4.45 nmol/liter
Prolactin S

   Male
0–15 ng/mL 0–15 μg/liter
   Female
0–20 ng/mL 0–20 μg/liter
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) S

   Female
<0.5 ng/mL <0.5 μg/liter
   Male


      ≤40 years
0–2.0 ng/mL 0–2.0 μg/liter
      >40 years
0–4.0 ng/mL 0–4.0 μg/liter
Protein S

   Total
5.5–8.0 g/dL 55–80 g/liter
   Fractions


      Albumin
3.5–5.5 g/dL (50–60%) 35–55 g/liter
      Alpha1
0.2–0.4 g/dL (4.2–7.2%) 2–4 g/liter
      Alpha2
0.5–0.9 g/dL (6.8–12%) 5–9 g/liter
      Beta
0.6–1.1 g/dL (9.3–15%) 6–11 g/liter
      Gamma
0.7–1.7 g/dL (13–23%) 7–17 g/liter
      Globulin
2.0–3.5 g/dL (40–50%) 20–35 g/liter
Protein C P

   Total antigen
70–140% 0.70–1.40
   Functional
70–140% 0.70–1.40
Protein S P

   Total antigen
70–140% 0.70–1.40
   Functional
70–140% 0.70–1.40
   Free antigen
70–140% 0.70–1.40
Prothrombin time P 11.1–13.1 sec 11.1–13.1 sec
Reticulocyte count WB 0.5–2.5% red cells 0.005–0.025 red cells
Rheumatoid factor S, JF <30.0 IU/mL <30 kIU/liter
Sodium S 136–145 mEq/liter 136–145 mmol/liter
Testosterone S

   Total (morning)


      Female
6–86 ng/dL 0.21–2.98 nmol/liter
      Male
270–1070 ng/dL 9.36–37.10 nmol/liter
Thyroid hormone function tests S

   Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
0.5–4.7 μU/mL 0.5–4.7 mU/liter
   Thyroxine


      Total (T4)
4.5–10.9 μg/dL 58–140 nmol/liter
      Free (fT4)
0.8–2.7 ng/dL 10.3–35.0 pmol/liter
   Triiodothyronine


      Total (T3)
60–181 ng/dL 0.92–2.78 nmol/liter
      Free (fT3)
1.4–4.4 pg/mL 0.22–6.78 pmol/liter
Transferrin S 230–390 mg/dL 2.3–3.9 g/liter
Triglycerides S <160 mg/dL <1.8 mmol/liter
Urea nitrogen S 10–20 mg/dL 3.6–7.1 mmol/liter
Uric acid S

   Male
2.5–8.0 mg/dL 150–480 μmol/liter
   Female
1.5–6.0 mg/dL 90–360 μmol/liter
Vitamin A S 20–100 μg/dL 0.7–3.5 μmol/liter
Vitamin B12 S, P

   Normal
>250 pg/mL >185 pmol/liter
   Borderline
125–250 pg/mL 92–185 pmol/liter
   Deficient
<125 pg/mL <92 pmol/liter
NOTES

1. National Institutes of Health. Third report of the Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III). September 2002.

Available at: www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/cholesterol/index.htm. Accessed October 16, 2008.

JF = joint fluid; P = plasma; RC = red cells; S = serum; WB = whole blood.

Adapted from N Engl J Med. 351:15; October 7, 2004.

(Created 10/2009)