Laboratory values
Acetylcholinesterase (ACE), RBC
Blood
26.7–49.2 U/g Hb
—
Acid phosphatase
Serum
0.5–5.5 U/L
0–0.9 mckat/L
Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT)
Plasma
25–36 sec
—
Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
Serum
9–52 pg/mL (morning draw)
2–11 pmol/L (morning draw)
Albumin
Serum
3.5–5.4 g/dL
35–54 g/L
Aldosterone
Standing Serum
7–20 ng/dL
194–554 pmol/L
Supine Serum
2–5 ng/dL
55–138 pmol/L
Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
Serum
36–150 U/L
0.5–2.5 mckat/L
Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT)
Serum
83–199 mg/dL
15.3–36.6 mcmol/L
Alpha fetoprotein (AFP)
Serum
0–20 ng/dL
0–20 pg/L
δ-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA)
Serum
15–23 mcg/L
1.14–1.75 mcmol/L
Aminotransferase, alanine (ALT)
Serum
0–35 U/L
0–0.58 pkat/L
Aminotransferase, aspartate (AST)
Serum
0–35 U/L
0–0.58 pkat/L
Ammonia
Plasma
40–80 mcg/dL
23–47 mcmol/L
Amylase
Serum
0–130 U/L
0–2.17 mckat/L
Antibodies to extractable nuclear antigen (AENA)
Serum
< 20.0=“”>
—
Anti–cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies
Serum
≤ 5.0 units
—
Antidiuretic hormone (ADH; arginine vasopressin)
Plasma
< 1.7=“”>
< 1.57=“”>
Anti–double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) antibodies, IgG
Serum
< 25=“”>
—
Antimitochondrial M2 antibodies
Serum
< 0.1=“”>
—
Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (cANCA)
Serum
Negative
—
Antinuclear antibodies (ANA)
Serum
≤ 1.0 units
—
Anti–smooth muscle antibodies (ASMA) titer
Serum
≤ 1:80
—
Antistreptolysin O titer
Serum
< 150=“”>
—
Antithyroid microsomal antibody titer
Serum
<>
—
α1-Antitrypsin (AAT)
Serum
83–199 mg/dL
15.3–36.6 mcmol/L
Apolipoproteins:
A-I, females Serum
98–210 mg/dL
0.98–2.1 g/L
A-I, males Serum
88–180 mg/dL
0.88–1.8 g/L
B-100, females Serum
44–148 mg/dL
0.44–1.48 g/L
B-100, males Serum
55–151 mg/dL
0.55–1.51 g/L
Bicarbonate
Serum
23–28 mEq/L
23–28 mmol/L
Bilirubin:
Direct Serum
0–0.3 mg/dL
0–5.1 mcmol/L
Total Serum
0.3–1.2 mg/dL
5.1–20.5 mcmol/L
Blood volumes (radioisotope labeling):
Plasma, females* Blood
28–43 mL/kg body wt
0.028–0.043 L/kg body wt
Plasma, males* Blood
25–44 mL/kg body wt
0.025–0.044 L/kg body wt
RBCs, females* Blood
20–30 mL/kg body wt
0.02–0.03 L/kg body wt
RBCs, males* Blood
25–35 mL/kg body wt
0.025–0.035 L/kg body wt
Brain (B-type) natriuretic peptide (BNP)
Plasma
< 100=“”>
—
Calcitonin, age ≥ 16 yr:
Females Serum
< 8=“”>
—
Males Serum
< 16=“”>
—
Calcium
Serum
9–10.5 mg/dL
2.2–2.6 mmol/L
Cancer antigen (CA):
CA 125 Serum
< 35=“”>
—
CA 15-3 Serum
< 30=“”>
—
Carbon dioxide (CO2) content
Serum
23–28 mEq/L
23–28 mmol/L
Carbon dioxide partial pressure (PCO2)
Blood
35–45 mm Hg
—
Carboxyhemoglobin
Plasma
0.5–5%
—
Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)
Serum
< 2=“”>
< 2=“”>
Carotene
Serum
75–300 mcg/L
1.4–5.6 mcmol/L
CD4:CD8 ratio
Blood
1–4
—
CD4+ T-cell count
Blood
640–1175/mcL
0.64–1.18 x 109/L
CD8+ T-cell count
Blood
335–875/mcL
0.34–0.88 x 109/L
Ceruloplasmin
Serum
25–43 mg/dL
250–430 mg/L
Chloride
Serum
98–106 mEq/L
98–106 mmol/L
Cholesterol, desirable level:
High-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) Plasma
≥ 40 mg/dL
≥ 1.04 mmol/L
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) Plasma
≤ 130 mg/dL
≤ 3.36 mmol/L
Total (TC)
Plasma
150–199 mg/dL
3.88–5.15 mmol/L
Coagulation factors:
Factor I Plasma
150–300 mg/dL
1.5–3.5 g/L
Factor II Plasma
60–150% of normal
—
Factor IX Plasma
60–150% of normal
—
Factor V Plasma
60–150% of normal
—
Factor VII Plasma
60–150% of normal
—
Factor VIII Plasma
60–150% of normal
—
Factor X Plasma
60–150% of normal
—
Factor XI Plasma
60–150% of normal
—
Factor XII Plasma
60–150% of normal
—
Complement:
C3 Serum
55–120 mg/dL
0.55–1.20 g/L
C4 Serum
20–59 mg/dL
0.20–0.59 g/L
Total
Serum
37–55 U/mL
37–55 kU/L
Copper
Serum
70–155 mcg/L
11–24.3 mcmol/L
Cortisol:
1 h after cosyntropin Serum
18 mcg/dL and usually ≥ 8 mcg/dL above baseline
498 nmol/L and usually ≥ 221 nmol/L above baseline
At 5 pm Serum
3–13 mcg/dL
83–359 nmol/L
At 8 am Serum
8–20 mcg/dL
251–552 nmol/L
After overnight suppression test Serum
< 5=“”>
< 138=“”>
C-peptide
Serum
0.9–4.3 ng/mL
297–1419 pmol/L
C-reactive protein (CRP)
Serum
< 0.5=“”>
< 0.005=“”>
C-reactive protein, highly sensitive (hsCRP)
Serum
< 1.1=“”>
< 0.0011=“”>
Creatine kinase (CK)
Serum
30–170 U/L
0.5–2.83 mckat/L
Creatinine
Serum
0.7–1.3 mg/dL
61.9–115 mcmol/L
d-Dimer
Plasma
≤ 300 ng/mL
≤ 300 mcg/L
Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S):
Females Plasma
0.6–3.3 mg/mL
1.6–8.9 mcmol/L
Males Plasma
1.3–5.5 mg/mL
3.5–14.9 mcmol/L
Delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA)
Serum
15–23 mcg/L
1.14–1.75 mcmol/L
11-Deoxycortisol (DOC):
After metyrapone Plasma
7 mcg/dL
203 nmol/L
Basal Plasma
< 5=“”>
< 145=“”>
d-Xylose level 2 h after ingestion of 25 g of d-xylose
Serum
20 mg/dL
1.3 nmol/L
Epinephrine, supine
Plasma
< 75=“”>
< 410=“”>
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR):
Females Blood
0–20 mm/h
0–20 mm/h
Males Blood
0–15 mm/h
0–20 mm/h
Erythropoietin
Serum
4.0–18.5 mIU/mL
4.0–18.5 IU/L
Estradiol, females:
Day 1–10 of menstrual cycle Serum
14–27 pg/mL
50–100 pmol/L
Day 11–20 of menstrual cycle Serum
14–54 pg/mL
50–200 pmol/L
Day 21–30 of menstrual cycle Serum
19–40 pg/mL
70–150 pmol/L
Estradiol, males
Serum
10–30 pg/mL
37–110 pmol/L
Ferritin:
Females Serum
30–200 ng/mL
30–200 mcg/L
Males Serum
30–300 ng/mL
30–300 mcg/L
α-Fetoprotein (AFP)
Serum
0–20 ng/dL
0–20 pg/L
Fibrinogen
Plasma
150–350 mg/dL
1.5–3.5 g/L
Folate (folic acid):
RBC Blood
160–855 ng/mL
362–1937 nmol/L
Serum Serum
2.5–20 ng/mL
5.7–45.3 nmol/L
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), females:
Follicular or luteal phase Serum
5–20 mU/mL
5–20 U/L
Midcycle peak Serum
30–50 mU/mL
30–50 U/L
Postmenopausal Serum
35 mU/mL
35 U/L
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), adult males
Serum
5–15 mU/mL
5–15 U/L
Fructosamine
Plasma
200–285 mol/L
—
Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT)
Serum
8–78 U/L
—
Gastrin
Serum
0–180 pg/mL
0–180 ng/L
Globulins:
Serum
2.5–3.5 g/dL
25–35 g/L
Alpha-1 globulins Serum
0.2–0.4 g/dL
2–4 g/L
Alpha-2 globulins Serum
0.5–0.9 g/dL
5–9 g/L
Beta globulins Serum
0.6–1.1 g/dL
6–11 g/L
Beta-2 microglobulin Serum
0.7–1.8 mcg/mL
—
Gamma globulins Serum
0.7–1.7 g/dL
7–17 g/L
Glucose:
2-h postprandial Plasma
< 140=“”>
< 7.8=“”>
Fasting Plasma
70–105 mg/dL
3.9–5.8 mmol/L
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD)
Blood
5–15 U/g Hb
0.32–0.97 mU/ mol Hb
γ-Glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT)
Serum
8–78 U/L
—
Growth hormone:
After oral glucose Plasma
< 2=“”>
< 2=“”>
In response to provocative stimuli Plasma
7 ng/mL
7 mcg/L
Haptoglobin
Serum
30–200 mg/dL
300–2000 mg/L
Hematocrit:
Females Blood
36–47%
—
Males Blood
41–51%
—
Hemoglobin:
Females Blood
12–16 g/dL
120–160 g/L
Males Blood
14–17 g/dL
140–170 g/L
Hemoglobin A1c
Blood
4.7–8.5%
—
Hemoglobin electrophoresis, adults:
Hb A1 Blood
95–98%
—
Hb A2 Blood
2–3%
—
Hb C Blood
0%
—
Hb F Blood
0.8–2.0%
—
Hb S Blood
0%
—
Hemoglobin electrophoresis, Hb F in children:
Neonate Blood
50–80%
—
1–6 mo Blood
8%
—
6 mo
Blood
1–2%
—
Homocysteine:
Females Plasma
0.40–1.89 mg/L
3–14 mcmol/L
Males Plasma
0.54–2.16 mg/L
4–16 mcmol/L
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), quantitative
Serum
< 5=“”>
—
Immunoglobulins:
IgA Serum
70–300 mg/dL
0.7–3.0 g/L
IgD Serum
< 8=“”>
< 80=“”>
IgE Serum
0.01–0.04 mg/dL
0.1–0.4 mg/L
IgG Serum
640–1430 mg/dL
6.4–14.3 g/L
IgG1 Serum
280–1020 mg/dL
2.8–10.2 g/L
IgG2 Serum
60–790 mg/dL
0.6–7.9 g/L
IgG3 Serum
14–240 mg/dL
0.14–2.4 g/L
IgG4 Serum
11–330 mg/dL
0.11–3.3 g/L
IgM Serum
20–140 mg/dL
0.2–1.4 g/L
Insulin, fasting
Serum
1.4–14 mcIU/mL
10–104 pmol/L
International normalized ratio (INR):
Therapeutic range (standard intensity therapy) Plasma
2.0–3.0
—
Therapeutic range in patients at higher risk (eg, patients with prosthetic heart valves) Plasma
2.5–3.5
—
Therapeutic range in patients with lupus anticoagulant Plasma
3.0–3.5
—
Iron
Serum
60–160 mcg/dL
11–29 mcmol/L
Iron-binding capacity, total (TIBC)
Serum
250–460 mcg/dL
45–82 mcmol/L
Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)
Serum
60–160 U/L
1–1.67 mckat/L
Lactic acid, venous
Blood
6–16 mg/dL
0.67–1.8 mmol/L
Lactose tolerance test
Plasma
15 mg/dL increase in plasma glucose level
0.83 mmol/L increase in plasma glucose level
Lead
Blood
< 40=“”>
< 1.9=“”>
Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase (LAP) score
Peripheral blood smear
13–130/100/ polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocyte neutrophils and bands
—
Lipase
Serum
< 95=“”>
< 1.58=“”>
Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)]
Serum
≤ 30 mg/dL
< 1.1=“”>
Luteinizing hormone (LH), females:
Follicular or luteal phase Serum
5–22 mU/mL
5–22 U/L
Midcycle peak Serum
30–250 mU/mL
30–250 U/L
Postmenopausal Serum
30 mU/mL
30 U/L
Luteinizing hormone, males
Serum
3–15 mU/mL
3–15 U/L
Magnesium
Serum
1.5–2.4 mg/dL
0.62–0.99 mmol/L
Manganese
Serum
0.3–0.9 ng/mL
5.5–16.4 nmol/L
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH)
Blood
28–32 pg
—
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)
Blood
32–36 g/dL
320–360 g/L
Mean corpuscular volume (MCV)
Blood
80–100 fL
—
Metanephrines, fractionated:
Metanephrines, free Plasma
< 0.50=“”>
—
Normetanephrines, free Plasma
< 0.90=“”>
—
Methemoglobin
Blood
<>
—
Methylmalonic acid (MMA)
Serum
150–370 nmol/L
—
Myeloperoxidase (MPO) antibodies
Serum
< 6.0=“”>
—
Myoglobin:
Females Serum
25–58 mcg/L
1.4–3.5 nmol/L
Males Serum
28–72 mcg/L
1.6–4.1 nmol/L
Norepinephrine, supine
Plasma
50–440 pg/mL
0.3–2.6 nmol/L
N-Terminal propeptide of BNP (NT-proBNP)
Plasma
< 125=“”>
—
5'-Nucleotidase (5'NT)
Serum
4–11.5 U/L
—
Osmolality
Plasma
275–295 mOsm/kg H2O
275–295 mmol/ kg H2O
Osmotic fragility test
Blood
Increased fragility if hemolysis occurs in > 0.5% sodium chloride
Decreased fragility if hemolysis is incomplete in 0.3% sodium chloride
—
Oxygen partial pressure (PO2)
Blood
80–100 mm Hg
—
Parathyroid hormone (PTH)
Serum
10–65 pg/mL
10–65 ng/L
Parathyroid hormone–related peptide (PTHrP)
Plasma
< 2.0=“”>
—
Partial thromboplastin time, activated (aPTT)
Plasma
25–35 sec
—
pH
Blood
7.38–7.44
—
Phosphorus, inorganic
Serum
3.0–4.5 mg/dL
0.97–1.45 mmol/L
Platelet count
Blood
150–350 x 103/mcL
150–350 x 109/L
Platelet life span, using chromium-51 (51Cr)
—
8–12 days
—
Porphyrins
Plasma
≤ 1.0 mcg/dL
—
Potassium
Serum
3.5–5 mEq/L
3.5–5 mmol/L
Prealbumin (transthyretin)
Serum
18–45 mg/dL
—
Progesterone:
Follicular phase Serum
< 1=“”>
< 0.03=“”>
Luteal phase Serum
3–30 ng/mL
0.1–0.95 nmol/L
Prolactin:
Females (nonpregnant) Serum
< 20=“”>
< 870=“”>
Males Serum
< 15=“”>
< 652=“”>
Prostate-specific antigen, total (PSA-T)
Serum
0–4 ng/mL
—
Prostate-specific antigen, ratio of free to total (PSA-F:PSA-T)
Serum
0.25
—
Protein C activity
Plasma
67–131%
—
Protein C resistance, activated ratio (APC-R)
Plasma
2.2–2.6
—
Protein S activity
Plasma
82–144%
—
Protein, total
Serum
6–7.8 g/dL
60–78 g/L
Prothrombin time (PT)
Plasma
11–13 sec
—
Pyruvic acid
Blood
0.08–0.16 mmol/L
—
RBC count
Blood
4.2–5.9 x 106 cells/mcL
4.2–5.9 x 1012 cells/L
RBC survival rate, using 51Cr
Blood
T1/2 = 28 days
—
Renin activity, plasma (PRA), upright, in males and females aged 18–39 yr:
Sodium-depleted Plasma
2.9–24 ng/mL/h
—
Sodium-repleted Plasma
0.6 (or lower)–4.3 ng/mL/h
—
Reticulocyte count:
Percentage Blood
0.5–1.5%
—
Absolute Blood
23–90 x 103/mcL
23–90 x 109/L
Rheumatoid factor (RF), by nephelometry
Serum
< 40=“”>
< 40=“”>
Sodium
Serum
136–145 mEq/L
136–145 mmol/L
Testosterone (total), adults:
Females Serum
20–75 ng/dL
0.7–2.6 nmol/L
Males Serum
300–1200 ng/dL
10–42 nmol/L
Thrombin time
Plasma
18.5–24 sec
—
Thyroid iodine-123 (123I) uptake
—
5–30% of administered dose at 24 h
—
Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
Serum
0.5–5.0 mcIU/mL
0.5–5.0 mIU/L
Thyroxine (T4):
Free Serum
0.9–2.4 ng/dL
12–31 pmol/L
Free index —
4–11
—
Total Serum
5–12 mcg/dL
64–155 nmol/L
Transferrin
Serum
212–360 mg/dL
2.1–3.6 g/L
Transferrin saturation
Serum
20–50%
—
Triglycerides (fasting)
Serum
< 250=“”>
< 2.82=“”>
Triiodothyronine (T3):
Uptake Serum
25–35%
—
Total Serum
70–195 ng/dL
1.1–3.0 nmol/L
Troponin I
Plasma
< 0.1=“”>
< 0.1=“”>
Troponin T
Serum
≤ 0.03 ng/mL
≤ 0.03 mcg/L
Urea nitrogen (BUN)
Serum
8–20 mg/dL
2.9–7.1 mmol/L
Uric acid
Serum
2.5–8 mg/dL
0.15–0.47 mmol/L
Vitamin B12
Serum
200–800 pg/mL
148–590 pmol/L
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid):
Leukocyte Blood
< 20=“”>
< 1136=“”>
Total Blood
0.4–1.5 mg/dL
23–85 mcmol/L
Vitamin D:
1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol (calcitriol) Serum
25–65 pg/mL
65–169 pmol/L
25-Hydroxycholecalciferol Serum
15–80 ng/mL
37–200 nmol/L
WBC count
Blood
4.5–11 x 103 cells/mcL
4.5–11 x 109 cells/L
Segmented neutrophils
2.6–8.5 x 103 cells/mcL
2.6–8.5 x 109 cells/L
Band neutrophils
0–1.2 x 103 cells/mcL
0–1.2 x 109 cells/L
Lymphocytes
0.77–4.5 x 103 cells/mcL
0.77–4.5 x 109 cells/L
Monocytes
0.14–1.3 x 103 cells/mcL
0.14–1.3 x 109 cells/L
Eosinophils
0–0.55 x 103 cells/mcL
0–0.55 x 109 cells/L
Basophils
0–0.22 x 103 cells/mcL
0–0.22 x 109 cells/L
Zinc
Serum
66–110 mcg/dL
10.1–16.8 mcmol/L
*American Board of Internal Medicine: ABIM Laboratory Test Reference Ranges ̶ January 2018. Accessed 8/25/18.
mckat = microkatal; pkat = picokatal.
Test
Specimen
Conventional Units
SI Units