Reference Ranges

Haematology

haemoglobin
males g/L (130–180)
females g/L (115–165)
red cell count
males  1012/L (4.3–5.9)
females  1012/L (3.5–5.0)
haematocrit
males (0.40–0.52)
females (0.36–0.47)
MCV fL (80–96)
MCH pg (28–32)
MCHC g/dL (32–35)
white cell count  109/L (4.0–11.0)
Or  microliter (4000-11000)
neutrophil count  109/L (1.5–7.0)
Or  microliter (1500-7000)
lymphocyte count  109/L (1.5–4.0)
Or  microliter (1500-4000)
monocyte count  109/L (<0.8)
Or  microliter (<800)
eosinophil count  109/L (0.04–0.40)
Or  microliter (40-400)
basophil count  109/L (<0.1)
Or  microliter (<100)
platelet count  109/L (150–400)
Or  microliter (150000-400000)
reticulocyte count  109/L (25–85)
reticulocyte count % (0.5–2.4)
CD4 count  106/L (430–1690)

WBC Differential blood count

Neutrophils - 40–80%
Lymphocytes - 20–40%
Monocytes - 2–10%
Eosinophils - 1–6%
Basophils - < 1%
erythrocyte sedimentation rate
under 50 years:
males mm/1st h (<15)
females mm/1st h (<20)
over 50 years:
males mm/1st h (<20)
females mm/1st h (<30)

plasma viscosity (25°C) mPa/s (1.50–1.72)

Coagulation screen

prothrombin time s (11.5–15.5)

international normalised ratio (<1.4)
activated partial thromboplastin time s (30–40)
thrombin time s (15–19)
fibrinogen g/L (1.8–5.4)
bleeding time min (3.0–8.0)

Coagulation factors

factors II, V, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII IU/dL (50–150)

von Willebrand factor antigen IU/dL (45–150)
von Willebrand factor activity IU/dL (50–150)
protein C IU/dL (80–135)
protein S IU/dL (80–120)
antithrombin IU/dL (80–120)
activated protein C resistance (2.12–4.00)
fibrin degradation products mg/L (<100)
D-dimer mg/L (<0.5)

Haematinics

serum iron µmol/L (12–30)

serum iron-binding capacity µmol/L (45–75)
serum ferritin µg/L (15–300)
serum transferrin g/L (2.0–4.0)
serum vitamin B12 ng/L (160–760)
serum folate µg/L (2.0–11.0)
red cell folate µg/L (160–640)
serum haptoglobin g/L (0.13–1.63)
zinc protoporphyrin:haemoglobin ratio µmol/mol haemoglobin (<70)

haemoglobinopathy screen:
haemoglobin A % (>95)
haemoglobin A2 % (2–3)
haemoglobin F % (<2)
haemoglobin S % (0)
transferrin saturation % (20–50)
 methaemoglobin % (<1)

Chemistry

Blood
serum sodium mmol/L (137–144)
serum potassium mmol/L (3.5–4.9)
serum chloride mmol/L (95–107)
serum bicarbonate mmol/L (20–28)
anion gap mmol/L (12–16)
serum urea mmol/L (2.5–7.0)
serum creatinine µmol/L (60–110)
estimated glomerular filtration rate (MDRD)mL/min (>60)
serum corrected calcium mmol/L (2.20–2.60)
serum ionised calcium mmol/L (1.13–1.32)
serum phosphate mmol/L (0.8–1.4)
serum total protein g/L (61–76)
serum albumin g/L (37–49)
serum globulin g/L (24–27)
serum total bilirubin µmol/L (1–22)
serum conjugated bilirubin µmol/L (<3.4)
serum alanine aminotransferase U/L (5–35)
serum aspartate aminotransferase U/L (1–31)
serum alkaline phosphatase U/L (45–105)
serum gamma glutamyl transferase
males U/L (<50)
females U/L (4–35)
serum lactate dehydrogenase U/L (10–250)
serum acid phosphatase U/L (2.6–6.2)
serum creatine kinase
males U/L (24–195)
females U/L (24–170)
serum creatine kinase MB fraction % (<5)
serum troponin I µg/L (<0.1)
serum troponin T µg/L (<0.01)
fasting plasma glucose mmol/L (3.0–6.0)
haemoglobin A1c % (4.0–6.0);
mmol/mol (20–42)
serum α1-antitrypsin g/L (1.1–2.1)
serum copper µmol/L (12–26)
serum caeruloplasmin mg/L (200–350)
serum aluminium µg/L (<10)
blood lead µmol/L (<0.5)
serum magnesium mmol/L (0.75–1.05)
serum zinc µmol/L (6–25)
serum urate
males mmol/L (0.23–0.46)
females mmol/L (0.19–0.36)
 plasma lactate mmol/L (0.6–1.8)
plasma ammonia µmol/L (12–55)
serum angiotensin-converting enzyme U/L (25–82)
plasma fructosamine µmol/L (<285)
serum amylase U/L (60–180)
plasma osmolality mosmol/kg (278–300)
plasma osmolar gap mosmol (<10)
thiopurine methyltransferase U/L (>25)

Urine

glomerular filtration rate mL/min (70–140)

24-h urinary total protein g (<0.2)
24-h urinary albumin mg (<30)
24-h urinary creatinine mmol (9–18)
24-h urinary calcium mmol (2.5–7.5)
24-h urinary copper µmol (0.2–0.6)
24-h urinary urate mmol (<3.6)
24-h urinary oxalate mmol (0.14–0.46)
24-h urinary urobilinogen µmol (1.7–5.9)
24-h urinary coproporphyrin nmol (<300)
24-h urinary uroporphyrin nmol (6–24)
24-h urinary -aminolevulinate µmol (8–53)
24-h urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid µmol (10–47)
urinary osmolality mosmol/kg (350–1000)
urinary osmolality after dehydration mosmol/kg (>750)

urinary albumin:creatinine ratio

males mg/mmol (<2.5)
females mg/mmol (<3.5)
urinary protein:creatinine ratio mg/mmol (<30)
urine microscopy:
white cells /µL (<10)

Faeces

stool weight (non-fasting) g (<200)

24-h faecal nitrogen mmol (70–140)
24-h faecal urobilinogen µmol (50–500)
24-h faecal coproporphyrin µmol (0.018–1.200)
faecal coproporphyrin mmol/g dry weight (0.46)
24-h faecal protoporphyrin µmol (<4)
faecal protoporphyrin nmol/g dry weight (<220)
faecal total porphyrin
ether soluble nmol/g dry weight (10–200)
ether insoluble nmol/g dry weight (<24)
24-h faecal fat (on normal diet) mmol (<20)
osmolality mosmol/kg (300)
osmolar gap [300 – 2  (faecal Na + K)] mosmol/kg (<100)
 faecal calprotectin µg/g (<50)
faecal elastase µg/g (>200)
faecal α1-antitrypsin µg/g (<300)

Body mass index

body mass index kg/m2 (18–25)

Lipids and lipoproteins

serum cholesterol mmol/L (<5.2)

serum LDL cholesterol mmol/L (<3.36)
serum HDL cholesterol mmol/L (>1.55)
fasting serum triglycerides mmol/L (0.45–1.69)

Arterial blood gases, breathing air

PO2 kPa (11.3–12.6)

PCO2 kPa (4.7–6.0)
pH (7.35–7.45)
H+ nmol/L (35–45)
bicarbonate mmol/L (21–29)
base excess mmol/L (±2)
lactate mmol/L (0.5–1.6)
carboxyhaemoglobin:
non-smoker % (<2)
smoker % (3–10)
oxygen saturation % (94–99)
methaemoglobin % (<1)

Endocrinology

Adrenal steroids (blood)

plasma renin activity
(after 30 min supine) pmol/mL/h (1.1–2.7)
(after 30 min upright) pmol/mL/h (3.0–4.3)

plasma aldosterone (normal diet)

(after 30 min supine) pmol/L (135–400)
(after 4 h upright) pmol/L (330–830)
plasma angiotensin II pmol/L (5–35)

serum cortisol (09.00 h) nmol/L (200–700)

serum cortisol (22.00 h) nmol/L (50–250)

overnight dexamethasone suppression test (after 1 mg dexamethasone):

serum cortisol nmol/L (<50)
low-dose dexamethasone suppression test (2 mg/day for 48 h):
serum cortisol nmol/L (<50)

high-dose dexamethasone suppression test (8 mg/day for 48 h):

serum cortisol nmol/L (should suppress to
<50% of
day 0 value)

short tetracosactide (Synacthen®) test (250 micrograms):

serum cortisol (30 min after tetracosactide) nmol/L (>550)

plasma 11-deoxycortisol nmol/L (24–46)

serum dehydroepiandrosterone (09.00 h) nmol/L (7–31)
serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate
males µmol/L (2–10)
females µmol/L (3–12)
serum androstenedione
males nmol/L (1.6–8.4)
females nmol/L (0.6–8.8)
postmenopausal nmol/L (0.9–6.8)
serum 17-hydroxyprogesterone
males nmol/L (1–10)
females
follicular nmol/L (1–10)
luteal nmol/L (10–20)
serum oestradiol
males pmol/L (<180)
females
postmenopausal pmol/L (<100)
follicular pmol/L (200–400)
mid-cycle pmol/L (400–1200)
luteal pmol/L (400–1000)
serum progesterone
males nmol/L (<6)
females
follicular nmol/L (<10)
luteal nmol/L (>30)
serum testosterone
males nmol/L (9–35)
females nmol/L (0.5–3.0)
serum dihydrotestosterone
males nmol/L (1.0–2.6)
females nmol/L (0.3–9.3)
serum sex hormone binding protein
males nmol/L (10–62)
females nmol/L (40–137)
Adrenal steroids (urine)

24-h urinary aldosterone nmol (14–53)

24-h urinary free cortisol nmol (55–250)

Pancreatic and gut hormones

oral glucose tolerance test (75 g)

2-h plasma glucose mmol/L (<7.8)
plasma gastrin pmol/L (<55)
plasma or serum insulin
overnight fasting pmol/L (<186)
after hypoglycaemia
(plasma glucose <2.2 mmol/L) pmol/L (<21)
serum C-peptide pmol/L (180–360)
plasma glucagon pmol/L (<50)
plasma pancreatic polypeptide pmol/L (<300)
plasma vasoactive intestinal polypeptide pmol/L (<30)

Anterior pituitary hormones

plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (09.00 h) pmol/L (<18.0)

plasma follicle-stimulating hormone (22.00 h) pmol/L (<18.0)

plasma follicle-stimulating hormone

males U/L (1.0–7.0)
females
follicular U/L (2.5–10.0)
mid-cycle U/L (25.0–70.0)
luteal U/L (0.3–2.1)
postmenopausal U/L (>30.0)

plasma growth hormone

basal, fasting and between pulses µg/L (<0.4)
2 h after glucose tolerance test (75 g) µg/L (<1)
insulin-induced hypoglycaemia (blood glucose <2.2 mmol/L):
plasma growth hormone µg/L (>3)
serum cortisol nmol/L (>580)
plasma luteinising hormone
males U/L (1.0–10.0)
females
follicular U/L (2.5–10.0)
mid-cycle U/L (25–70)
luteal U/L (1.0–13.0)
postmenopausal U/L (>30)
plasma prolactin mU/L (<360)
 plasma thyroid-stimulating hormone mU/L (0.4–5.0)

Posterior pituitary hormones

plasma antidiuretic hormone pmol/L (0.9–4.6)

Thyroid hormones

plasma thyroid-binding globulin mg/L (13–28)

plasma T4 nmol/L (58–174)
plasma free T4 pmol/L (10.0–22.0)
plasma T3 nmol/L (1.07–3.18)
plasma free T3 pmol/L (3.0–7.0)

serum thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor

antibodies U/L (<7)
serum anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies IU/mL (<50)
serum thyroid receptor antibodies U/L (<10)
technetium-99m scan of thyroid (20-min uptake) % (0.4–3.0)

Catecholamines (blood)

(Plasma recumbent with venous catheter in place for 30 min prior to collection
of sample)
plasma adrenaline nmol/L (0.03–1.31)
plasma noradrenaline nmol/L (0.47–4.14)

Catecholamines (urine)

24-h urinary vanillylmandelic acid µmol (5–35)

24-h urinary dopamine nmol (<3100)
24-h urinary adrenaline nmol (<144)
24-h urinary noradrenaline nmol (<570)

Others

plasma parathyroid hormone pmol/L (0.9–5.4)

plasma calcitonin pmol/L (<27)
serum cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) nmol/L (60–105)
serum 25-OH-cholecalciferol nmol/L (45–90)
serum 1,25-(OH)2-cholecalciferol pmol/L (43–149)

serum insulin-like growth factor 1

13–20 y nmol/L (9.3–56.0)
21–40 y nmol/L (7.5–37.3)
41–60 y nmol/L (5.6–23.3)
>60 y nmol/L (3.3–23.3)
serum IGF1:IGF2 ratio (<10)
Immunology/Rheumatology

serum complement C3 mg/dL (65–190)

serum complement C4 mg/dL (15–50)
total serum haemolytic complement activity
CH50 U/L (150–250)
serum C-reactive protein mg/L (<10)
serum immunoglobulin G g/L (6.0–13.0)
serum immunoglobulin A g/L (0.8–3.0)
serum immunoglobulin M g/L (0.4–2.5)
serum immunoglobulin E kU/L (<120)
serum immunoglobulin D mg/L (20–120)
serum immunoglobulin G4 g/L (0.08–1.30)
serum κ free light chains mg/L (3.3–19.4)
serum λ free light chains mg/L (5.7–26.3)
serum free light-chain ratio (0.26–1.65)

serum β2-microglobulin mg/L (<3)

serum mast cell tryptase (1 h post-reaction) µg/L (2–14)

Autoantibodies

anti-adrenal antibodies (negative at 1:10 dilution)

anticentromere antibodies (negative at 1:40 dilution)
anticardiolipin antibodies:
immunoglobulin G U/mL (<23)
immunoglobulin M U/mL (<11)
anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies
anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies (ELISA) U/mL (<73)
anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies
anti-lactoferrin antibodies
anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies:
c-ANCA
p-ANCA
PR3-ANCA U/mL (<10)
MPO-ANCA U/mL (<10)
antinuclear antibodies (negative at 1:20 dilution)
extractable nuclear antigen
gastric parietal cell antibodies (negative at 1:20 dilution)
intrinsic factor antibodies
interstitial cells of testis antibodies (negative at 1:10 dilution)

anti-La antibodies
antimitochondrial antibodies (negative at 1:20 dilution)
anti-RNP antibodies
anti-Scl-70 antibodies
anti-Ro antibodies
anti-skeletal muscle antibodies (negative at 1:60 dilution)
anti-Sm antibodies
anti-smooth muscle antibodies (negative at 1:20 dilution)
anti-thyroid colloid and microsomal antibodies (negative at 1:10 dilution)
anti-gliadin antibodies IU/L (<10)
anti-endomysial antibodies
anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies U/mL (<15)
rheumatoid factor kIU/L (<30)
antistreptolysin titre IU/mL (<200)
Hepatitis virus serology

B: HBsAg IU/mL (lower detection limit

50)
HBV DNA IU/mL (lower detection limit
250)
genotype A–H

C: HCV RNA IU/mL (lower detection

limit15)
genotype 1–6

Tumour markers

serum α-fetoprotein kU/L (<10)

serum carcinoembryonic antigen µg/L (<10)
serum neurone-specific enolase µg/L (<12)
serum prostate-specific antigen
males under 40 µg/L (<2)
males over 40 µg/L (<4)
serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin U/L (<5)
serum CA 125 U/mL (<35)
serum CA 19-9 U/mL (<33)

Viral loads

cytomegalovirus viral load copies/mL (lower detection

limit 400)
Epstein–Barr viral load copies/mL (lower detection
limit 250)
hepatitis B viral load IU/mL (lower detection limit
250)
hepatitis C viral load IU/mL (lower detection limit
15)
HIV viral load copies/mL (lower detection
limit 40)
human herpesvirus-6 viral load copies/mL (lower detection
limit 50)
human herpesvirus-8 viral load copies/mL (lower detection
limit 50)

Therapeutic drug concentrations

plasma carbamazepine µmol/L (34–51)

blood ciclosporin nmol/L (100–150)
blood tacrolimus
≤12 months following transplant nmol/L (8–12)
>12 months following transplant nmol/L (5–10)
plasma digoxin (taken at least 6 h post-dose) nmol/L (1.0–2.0)
 serum gentamicin (peak) mg/L (5–7)
(pre-dose) mg/L (<1)
(1 h post-dose) mg/L (3–5)
serum vancomycin (trough) mg/L (10–15)
serum lithium mmol/L (0.5–1.2)
serum phenobarbital µmol/L (65–172)
serum phenytoin µmol/L (40–80)
serum primidone µmol/L (23–55)
plasma theophylline µmol/L (55–110)

Cerebrospinal fluid

opening pressure mmH2O (50–180)

total protein g/L (0.15–0.45)
albumin g/L (0.066–0.442)
chloride mmol/L (116–122)
glucose mmol/L (3.3–4.4)
lactate mmol/L (1.0–2.0)
cell count /µL (5)
white cell count /µL (5)
red cell count /µL (0)
lymphocyte count /µL (3.5)
neutrophil count /µL (0)
immunoglobulin G:albumin ratio (0.26)
immunoglobulin index (0.88)

Synovial fluid

white cell count /mL (<200)

Pulmonary function

transfer factor for CO (TLCO) % (80–120)

mmol/min/kPa
transfer coefficient (KCO) % (100)
mmol/min/kPa/L

Cardiac pressures

mean arterial pressure mmHg (96)

mean right atrial pressure mmHg (3)
mean pulmonary arterial pressure mmHg (15)
mean pulmonary arterial wedge pressure mmHg (9)
mean cardiac output L/min (5)
Hepatic venous pressures

portal venous pressure mmHg (4–8)

hepatic venous pressure mmHg (2–4)
hepatic venous pressure gradient mmHg (<5)

ECG measurements

PR interval ms (120–200)
QRS complex ms (40–120)