Appendices					851
Appendix C
Reference ranges for selected clinical laboratory tests
Substance		Fluida	Traditional units ×	k	= SI units
Acetoacetate		P, S	0.3–3.0 mg/dL	97.95	3–30 mmol/L
Alanine aminotransferase		S	7–41 U/L	0.016	0.12–0.70 mkat/L
(ALT, SGPT)
Albumin		S
Female Albumin		S	4.1–5.3 g/dL	10	41–53 g/L
Male Albumin		S	4.0–5.0 g/L	10	40–50 g/L
Albumin		CSF	11–48 mg/dL	0.01	0.11–0.48 g/L
Aldolase		S	1.5–8.1 U/L	17.33	26–138 nkat/L
Alkaline phosphate		S	(F) 30–100 U/L	0.016	0.5–1.92 mkat/L
			(M) 45–115 U/L		0.75–1.92 mkat/L
Alpha fetoprotein (adult)		S	0–8.5 ng/mL	1	0–8.5 mg/L
Ammonia, as NH3		P	19–60 mg/dL	0.587	11–35 mmol/L
Amylase (method		S	20–96 U/L	0.016	0.34–1.6 mkat/L
dependent)
Anion gap		S	7–16 mmol/L	1	7–16 mmol/L
Arterial blood gases
[HCO –]			22–30 mEq/L	1	22–30 mmol/L
	3
PCO2			32–45 mmHg	0.134	4.3–6.0 kPa
Ph			7.35–7.45	1	7.35–7.45
PO2			72–104 mmHg	0.134	9.6–13.8 kPa
Aspartate aminotrans-		S	12–38 U/L	0.016	0.20–0.65 mkat/L
ferase (AST, SGOT)
B-type natriuretic peptide		P	Age and gender	1	Age and gender
(BNP)			specific: <167 pg/		specific:
			mL		<167 ng/L
Bilirubin		S
Total (Bilirubin)			0.3–1.3 mg/dL	17.1	5.1–22 mmol/L
Direct (Bilirubin)			0.1–0.4 mg/dL	17.1	1.7–6.8 mmol/L
Indirect (Bilirubin)			0.2–0.9 mg/dL	17.1	3.4–15.2 mmol/L
b-Hydroxybutyrate		S	<1.0 mg/dL	96.05	<100 mmol/L
Bicarbonate		S	22–26 mEq/L	1	22–26 mmol/L
Blood urea nitrogen		P, S	8–18 mg/dL	0.367	3.0–6.5 mmol/L
(BUN)
Calcium-Total		S	8.7–10.2 mg/dL	0.252	2.2–2.6 mmol/L
Calcium Ionized		WB	4.5–5.3 mg/dL	0.25	1.12–1.32 mmol/L
Carboxyhemoglobin		WB	>20%	0.01	>0.2 proportion
(carbon monoxide					of 1
content)
–	Nonsmokers		0–4%	0.01	0–0.04
–	Smokers		4–9%	0.01	0.04–0.09
–	Onset of symptoms		15–20%	0.01	0.15–0.20
–	Loss of consciousness		>50%	0.01	>0.50
	and death

852					Appendices
Reference ranges for selected clinical laboratory tests			(continued)
Substance	Fluida	Traditional units ×	k	=	SI units
Chloride	S	102–109 mEq/L	1		102–109 mmol/L
	CSF	120–130 mEq/L	1		120–130 mmol/L
	U	10–200 mEq/L	1		10–200 mmol/L
Cholinesterase	S	5–12 U/mL	1		5–12 kU/L
Complement
C3	S	83–177 mg/dL	0.01		0.83–1.77 g/L
C4	S	16–47 mg/dL	0.01		0.16–0.47 g/L
Cortisol
Fasting, 8 a.m.–12 noon	S	5–25 mg/dL	27.588		138–690 nmol/L
12 noon–8 p.m.		5–15 mg/dL	27.588		138–414 nmol/L
8 p.m.–8 a.m.		0–10 mg/dL	27.588		0–276 nmol/L
Cortisol, free	U	20–70 mg/24 h	2.758		55–193 nmol/24 h
C-reactive protein	S	0.2–3.0 mg/L	1		0.2–3.0 mg/L
Creatine kinase (total)	S				0.66–4.0 mkat/L
Females		39–238 U/L	0.017
Males		51–294 U/L	0.017		0.87–5.0 mkat/L
Creatine kinase-MB	S
Mass		0.0–5.5 ng/mL	1		0.0–5.5 g/L
Fraction of total activity		0–4.0%	0.01		0–0.04
(by electrophoresis)
Creatinine	S				44–80 mmol/L
Female		0.5–0.9 ng/mL	88.4
Male		0.6–1.2 ng/mL	88.4		53–106 mmol/L
Creatinine	U	15–25 mg/kg/24 h	0.009		0.13–0.22 mmol/
					kg/24 h
Cyanide: Nontoxic	WB	<mg/dL	3.8		<19 mmol/L
Cyanide: Lethal		>30 mg/dL			>114 mmol/L
Erythropoietin	S	4–27 U/L	1		4–27 U/L
Fatty acids, free	P	<8–25 mg/dL	0.0355		<0.28–
(nonesterified)					0.89 mmol/L
Ferritin	S				10–150 mg/dL
Female		10–150 ng/dL	1
Male		29–248 ng/mL	1		29–248 mg/L
Fibrinogen	P	150–350 mg/dL	0.01		1.5–3.5 g/L
Fibrin split products	S	<10 mg/mL	1		<10 mg/L
Glucose	P
Glucose (fasting)	P	70–100 mg/dL	0.06		3.9–6.1 mmol/L
Glucose	CSF	50–80 mg/dL	0.06		2.8–4.4 mmol/L
Impaired glucose		111–125 mg/dL	0.056		6.2–6.9 mmol/L
tolerance
Diabetes mellitus		>125 mg/dL	0.056		>7.0 mmol/L
Glucose, 2 h postprandial	P	70–120 mg/dL	0.056		3.9–6.7 mmol/L
Hemoglobin (Hb)	P	0.6–5.0 mg/dL	10		6–50 mg/L
Adult males (Hb)	WB	13.3–16.2 g/dL	10		133–162 g/L
Adult females (Hb)	WB	12–15.8 g/dL	10		120–158 g/dL

Appendices					853
Reference ranges for selected clinical laboratory tests			(continued)
Substance	Fluida	Traditional units ×	k	=	SI units
Mean corpuscular	WB	26–34 pg/cell	1		26–34 pg/cell
hemoglobin (MCH)
Mean corpuscular	WB	33–37 g/dL	10		330–370 g/L
hemoglobin concentra-
tion (MCHC)
Mean corpuscular	WB	80–100 mm3	1		80–100 fL
volume (MCV)
Hemoglobin Alc	WB	4.0–6.0%	0.01		0.04–0.06 Hb
					fraction
Homocysteine	P	4.4–10.8 mmol/L	1		4.4–10.8 mmol/L
Iron	S	41–141 mg/dL	0.178		7–25 mmol/L
Iron-binding capacity	S	251–406 mg/dL	0.179		45–73 mmol/L
Lactate	P,	4.5–14.4 mg/dL	0.111		0.5–1.6 mmol/L
	arterial
	P,	4.5–19.8 mg/dL	0.111		0.5–2.2 mmol/L
	venous
Lactate: Resting	P	<2.0 mEq/L	1		<2 mmol/L
Exercise		<4.0 mEq/L			<4 mmol/L
Lactate dehydrogenase	S	115–221 U/L	0.0171		2.0–3.8 mkat/L
Lipase	S	3–43 U/L	0.166		0.5–0.73 mkat/L
Magnesium	S	1.5–2.3 mg/dL	0.413		0.62–0.95 mmol/L
Methemoglobin	WB	0–1% of total Hb	0.01		0.0–0.01
					proportion of total
					Hb
Microalbumin urine	U
24-h urine		0–30 mg/24 h	0.001		0.0–0.03 g/day
Spot urine		0–30 mg/mg	0.001		0.0–0.03 g/g
		creatinine			creatinine
Myoglobin	S	19–92 mg/L			19–92 mg/L
Male			1
Female		12–76 mg/L	1		12–76 mg/L
Osmolality	P	275–295 mOsm/	1		275–295 mOsm/kg
		kg serum water			serum water
	U	500–800 mOsm/	1		500–800 mOsm/kg
		kg water			water
Phosphatase, alkaline	S	33–96 U/L	0.0169		0.56–1.63 mkat/L
Phosphorus, inorganic	S	2.5–4.3 mg/dL	0.324		0.81–1.4 mmol/L
Potassium	S	3.5–5.0 mEq/L	1		3.5–5.0 mmol/L
Prealbumin	S	17–34 mg/dL	10		170–340 mg/L
Prolactin	S	0–20 ng/mL	1		0–20 g/L
Prostate-specific antigen	S
(PSA)					0.0–2.0 mg/L
<40 years male		0.0–2.0 ng/mL	1
>40 years male		0.0–0.40 ng/mL	1		0.0–0.4 mg/L
PSA, free; in males	S	>25% associated	0.01		>0.25% associated
45–75 years, with PSA		with benign			with benign
values between 4 and		prostatic			prostatic
20 g/mL		hyperplasia			hyperplasia

854					Appendices
Reference ranges for selected clinical laboratory tests			(continued)
Substance	Fluida	Traditional units ×	k	=	SI units
Protein fractions	S
Albumin		3.5–5.5 g/dL	10		35–55 g/L
		(50–60%)
Globulin		2.0–3.5 g/dL	10		20–35 g/L
		(40–50%)
Alpha1		0.2–0.4 g/dL	10		2–4 g/L
		(4.2–7.2%)
Alpha2		0.5–0.9 g/dL	10		5–9 g/L
		(6.8–12%)
Beta		0.6–1.1 g/dL	10		6–11 g/L
		(9.3–15%)
Gamma		0.7–1.7 g/dL	10		7–17 g/L
		(13–23%)
Total protein	P, S	6.0–8.0 g/dl/L	10		60–80 g/L
	CSF	<40 mg/dL	0.01		<0.40 g/L
	U	<150 mg/24 h	0.01		<1.5 g/24 h
Sodium	S	136–146 mEq/L	1		136–146 mmol/L
Thyroid-stimulating	S	0.34–4.25 mIU/	1		0.34–4.25 mIU/L
hormone		mL
Thyroxine, free (fT4)	S	0.8–1.7 ng/dL	12.871		10.3–21.9 pmol/L
Thyroxine, total (T4)	S	5.4–11.7 mg/dL	12.871		70–151 nmol/L
Triiodothyronine (T3)	S	75–220 pg/dL	0.015		12–3.4 pmol/L
Troponin I	S				0–0.08 mg/L
Normal population,		0–0.08 ng/mL	1
99% tile					>0.4 mg/L
Cutoff for MI		>0.4 ng/mL	1
Troponin T	S				0–0.1 mg/L
Normal population, 99%		0–0.01 ng/mL	0.1
tile					0–0.1 mg/L
Cutoff for MI		0–0.1 ng/mL	1
Urea nitrogen	S	7–20 mg/dL	0.357		2.5–7.1 mmol/L
Uric acid	S				0.15–0.33 mmol/L
Females		2.5–5.6 mg/dL	0.06
Males		3.1–7.0 mg/dL	0.06		0.18–0.41 mmol/L
Urobilinogen	U	1–3.5 mg/24 h	1.7		1.7–5.9 mmol/d

Adapted from the New England Journal of Medicine SI Unit Conversion Guide. Waltham, MA: Massachusetts Medical Society, 1992

aP plasma, S serum, U urine, WB whole blood, CSF cerebrospinal fluid, RBC red blood cell

Reference ranges for vitamins and trace elements
Substance	Fluida	Traditional units	×	k	= SI units
Chromium	S	0.14–0.15 ng/mL		17.85	2.5–2.7 nmol/L
Copper	S	70–140 mg/dL		0.16	11–22 mmol/L
Folate	RBC	140–960 ng/mL		2.26	317–2,196 nmol/L
Iron	S	(M) 80–180 mg/dL		0.18	(M) 14–32 mmol/L
		(F) 60–160 mg/dL			(F) 11–29 mmol/L