Common

Laboratory Reference Intervals

Laboratory Test Conventional Units (SI Units)

*Activated partial thromboplastin time 30-40 sec (30-40 sec)
(aPTT) For those receiving anticoagulant therapy, aPTT is 1.5–2.5
times control value in seconds.

Alanine aminotransferase (ALT; 4-36 U/L (4-36 U/L)

formerly known as serum glutamate
pyruvate transferase [SGPT])

Albumin 3.5-5.0 g/dL (35-50 g/L)

Ammonia 10–80 mcg/dL (6–47 mcmol/L)

Amylase 60–120 Somogyi units/dL (100–300 U/L)

Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)
(formerly known as serum glutamic 0-35 U/L (0-35 U/L)
oxaloacetic transferase [SGOT])

Bilirubin Total: 0.3 - 1.0 mg/dL (5.1 - 17 mcmol/L)

Indirect: 0.2 - 0.8 mg/dL (3.4 - 12 mcmol/L)

Direct: 0.1 - 0.3 mg/dL (1.7 - 5.1 mcmol/L)

Blood culture No growth

Bacteremia: Bacteria growing in the blood can often be

grown in the culture medium in the microbiology laboratory.
When bacteremia is suspected, antibiotics should be started
immediately after blood cultures are obtained.

*Blood gases – arterial and venous Arterial pH 7.35-7.45 (7.35-7.45)

values
Venous pH 7.31-7.41 (7.31-7.41)

PaCO2 35-45 mm Hg (35-45 mm Hg)

Arterial PaO2 80-100 mm Hg (80-100 mm Hg)

Venous PvO2 40-50 mm Hg (40-50 mm Hg)

Bicarbonate 21-28 mEq/L (21-28 mmol/L)

*Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) 10 - 20 mg/dL (3.6 - 7.1 mmol/L)

Calcium 9-10.5 mg/dL (2.25-2.75 mmol/L)

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Lumbar Protein: 15-45 mg/dL (0.15-0.45 g/L)

Glucose: 50-75 mg/dL (2.8-4.2 mmol/L)

WBCs (white blood cells): 0-5 cells/mcL (0-5 × 106/L)

RBCs (red blood cells): negative (negative)

Chloride: 116–122 mmol/L of CSF (116–122 mEq/L of CSF)

Pressure: <20 cm H2O (<20 cm H2O)

Chloride 98-106 mEq/L (98-106 mmol/L)

*Cholesterol <200 mg/dL (<5 mmol/L) age dependent

Note: see below for low density lipoprotein (LDL), high

density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglyceride levels

Creatine kinase (CK) Male: 55-170 U/L (55-170 U/L)

Female: 30-135 U/L (30-135 U/L)

Creatine kinase isozyme of heart male: 2 -6 ng/mL (2 - 6 mcg/L)

CK-MB (CK-2) female: 2 - 5 ng/mL (2 - 5 mcg/L)

*Creatinine male, 0.6-1.2 mg/dL (53-106 mcmol/L)

female 0.5-1.1 mg/dL (44-97 mcmol/L)

D-dimer <50 ng/mL (<3.0 mmol/L)

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), Male: ≤15 mm/hr (≤15 mm/hr)

Westergren
Female: ≤20 mm/hr (≤20 mm/hr)

Ferritin (serum) Male: 12-300 ng/mL (12-300 ng/L)

Female: 10-150 ng/mL (10-150 ng/L)

Fibrinogen 60 - 100 mg/dL (2.0–5.0 g/L)

*Glucose, fasting 70-99 mg/dL (3.9-5.5 mmol/L)

Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) >60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (age dependent)

High density lipoprotein (HDL) >60 mg/dL (>1.55 mmol/L)

*Hematocrit (altitude dependent) Male: 42-52% (0.42-0.52 volume fraction)

Female: 37-47% (0.37-0.47 volume fraction)

*Hemoglobin (altitude dependent) Male: 14-18 g/Dl (140-180 mmol/L)

Female: 12-16 g/Dl (120-160 mmol/L)

*Hemoglobin, glycosylated or glycated <6% (adult without diabetes)

(HbA1c [A1c])

Homocysteine (dependent on gender 4.5 -11.9 mcmol/L (4.5 -11.9 mcmol/L)

and age)

*International normalized ratio (INR) 0.81-1.2 (0.81-1.2)

Lactic acid (venous) 5–20 mg/dL (0.6–2.2 mmol/L)

Low density lipoprotein (LDL) <100 mg/dL (<2.59 mmol/L)

Lipase 0 – 160 U/L (0 – 160 U/L)

Magnesium 1.8–2.6 mEq/L (0.74–1.07 mmol/L)

Myoglobin <90 ng/mL (1.0–5.3 nmol/L)

B-type natriuretic peptide <100 ng/mL (<100 mcg/L)

Arterial: 95%-100% (95%-100%)
Oxygen Saturation Venous: 60%-80% (60%-80%)

Phosphatase alkaline (ALP)
 38-126 U/L (0.65-2.14 µkat/L)

Phosphorus, phosphate 3.0-4.5 mg/dL (0.97-1.45 mmol/L)

*Platelets 150,000-400,000/mm3 (150-400 × 109/L)

*Potassium 3.5-5.0 mEq/L (3.5-5.0 mmol/L)

Protein Total 6.4-8.3 g/dL (64-83 g/dL)

Prothrombin time (Protime, PT) 11-12.5 sec (11-12.5 sec)

For those receiving anticoagulant therapy, PT is 1.5–2.0

times control value in seconds.

Red blood cells Male: 4.7–6.2 × 1012/L (4.7–6.2 × 1012/L)

Female: 4.2–5.4 × 1012/L (4.2–5.4 × 1012/L)

*Sodium 135-145 mEq/L (135-145 mmol/L)

Specific gravity urine, Random 1.003-1.030 (same as conventional units)

Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) 2–10 mcIU/mL (2–10 Miu/L)

Thyroxine (T4), total 5–12 mcg/dL (64–154 nmol/L)

Thyroxine (T4), free 0.8–2.8 ng/dL (10–36 pmol/L)

Triglycerides
Female:35-135 mg/dL(0.40-1.52 mmol/L)

Male: 40-160 mg/dL (0.45-1.81 mmol/L)

Troponin I (cTnI) <0.35 ng/mL (<0.35 mcg/L)

Troponin T (cTnT) <0.1 ng/mL (<0.1 mcg/L)

Uric acid Male: 4.0-8.5 mg/dL (240-501 mcmol/L)

Female: 2.7-7.3 mg/dL (160-430 mcmol/L)

Urine bilirubin, glucose, hemoglobin negative

Ph 4.0-8.0

protein 0-trace

specific gravity 1.003-1.030

 Vitamin D (Total 25-hydroxyvitamin D) 30–80 ng/mL (75–200 nmol/L)

*White blood cell (WBC) count 5000-10,000/mm3 (5-10 × 109/L)

Segmented Neutrophils 62-68% (2.5-7.5 × 109/L)

Band Neutrophils 0-9% (0-1 × 109/L)

Lymphocytes 1000-4000/mm3 - 20-40% (0.1-0.4 × 109/L)

Monocytes 100-700/mm3 - 2-8% (0.1-0.7 × 109/L)

Eosinophils 50-100/mm3 - 1-4% (0.00-0.5 × 109/L)

Basophils 15-50/mm3 - 0.5-1% (0.02-0.05 × 109/L)

Note: Laboratory values may vary with different techniques and in different laboratories.

Note: In the table, *Indicates the need to know laboratory values as specified in: National Council of
State Boards of Nursing (2018), NCLEX-RN® Examination: Test Plan for the National Council Licensure
Examination for Registered Nurses (Effective April 2019), Chicago: National Council of State Boards of
Nursing, Inc. (NCSBN).

References:

Lewis et.al (2019), Medical-Surgical Nursing in Canada: Assessment and Management of clinical
problems (10th ed.), St. Louis: Elsevier. Appendix B Laboratory Values, Adapted by Jana Lok.

Lewis et.al (2017), Medical-Surgical Nursing: Assessment and Management of clinical problems (10th
ed.), St. Louis: Elsevier. Appendix C Laboratory Reference Intervals.

National Council of State Boards of Nursing (2018), NCLEX-RN® Examination: Test Plan for the National
Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (Effective April 2019), Chicago: National Council
of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. (NCSBN).

Pagana, K., Pagana, T. (2019) Mosby’s Canadian manual of diagnostic and laboratory tests, (2nd
Canadian ed.) St. Louis: Elsevier (Canadian Editor, Sandra A. Pike-MacDonald).

Copyright © 2020, 2019 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc.