Reference Ranges For Common Blood Tests Clinical Biochemistry

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It must be remembered that the reference range will vary, depending on the age, sex and race of a population, and even the machines the laboratory uses to do the tests. Also remember that by definition 5% of the normal population will fall outside the reference range.

These are approximate adult values that are intended as a guide to students and those interested, they are not a substitute for medical advice.

1 Clinical biochemistry

1.1 Electrolytes and Metabolytes

Test	Range	Comments
Sodium (Na)	130 - 145 mmol/L
Potassium (K)	3.5 - 5.0 mmol/L
Urea	2.6 - 6.8 mmol/L
Creatinine	50 - 110 μmol/L
Glucose (fasting)	4.2 - 6.1 mmol/L

Test

Range

Comments

Sodium (Na)

130 - 145 mmol/L

Potassium (K)

3.5 - 5.0 mmol/L

Urea

2.6 - 6.8 mmol/L

Creatinine

50 - 110 μmol/L

Glucose (fasting)

4.2 - 6.1 mmol/L

1.2 Liver function tests

1.3 Other enzymeAn enzyme is a protein, or protein complex, that catalyzes a chemical reaction. Like any catalyst, enzymes work by lowering the activation energy of a reaction, thus allowing the reaction to proceed to its steady state or completion much faster than it ots and proteinmyoglobin, showing coloured alpha helices. This protein was the first to have its structure solved by X-ray crystallography by Max Perutz and Sir John Cowdery Kendrew in 1958, which led to them receiving a Nobel Prize in Chemistry. A protein is a complex,s

1.4 Other ions and trace metals

Ionised calcium (Ca)	1.15 - 1.29 mmol/L	Some calcium is bound to albumin, thus not measured by certain techniques.
Total calcium (Ca)	2.05 - 2.55 mmol/L
Copper (Cu)	11 - 26 μmol/L
Zinc (Zn)	10 - 17 μmol/L

1.5 Lipids

Triglycerides	0.4 - 2.0 mmol/L
Total cholesterol	3.0 - 5.5 mmol/L
HDL cholesterol (male)	0.7 - 1.9 mmol/L
(female)	0.9 - 2.4 mmol/L
LDL cholesterol	2.4 - 4.0 mmol/l	Not valid when triglycerides >5.0 mmol/L.

1.6 Tumour marker s

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)	1-15 kIU/L
CA-125	<65 kU/L
Prostate specific antigen (total PSA)	<2.0 μg/L	After age 40, normal levels increase every decade.

1.7 Hormones

Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)	0.5 - 4.7 mIU/L	Also called: Thyrotropin
Free thyroxine (FT₄)	9.0 - 24 pmol/L
Free triiodothyronine (FT₃)	2.5 - 5.3 pmol/L
Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)	1.3 - 15 pmol/L
Cortisol (0830 h)	250 - 850 nmol/L	Cortisol levels are higher in the morning than at night.
Cortisol (1630 h)	110 - 390 nmol/L
Prolactin (male)	<450 mIU/L
(female)	<580 mIU/L
Testosterone (male)	8 - 38 nmol/L
(male prepuberty)	0.1 - 0.5 nmol/L
(female)	0.3 - 2.5 nmol/L

2 Haematology

2.1 Red blood cells

Haemoglobin (Hb) (male)	130 - 180 g/L	Higher in neonates, lower in children.
(female)	115 - 160 g/L	Sex difference negligible until adulthood.
Haematocrit (Hct) (male)	0.38 - 0.52
(female)	0.35 - 0.47
Mean cell volume (MCV)	80 - 98 fL	Cells are larger in neonates, though smaller in other children.
Mean cell haemoglobin (MCH)	26 - 34 pg
Red cell count (male)	4.5 - 6.5 x10¹²/L
(female)	3.8 - 5.8 x10¹²/L
Reticulocytes	10 - 100 x10⁹/L
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)	<20 mm/hr	Females tend to have a higher ESR. ESR increases with age.

2.2 White blood cells

Total white blood cells	4.0 - 11.0 x10⁹/L	Higher in neonates and infants.
Neutrophil granulocytes	2.0 - 7.5 x10⁹/L
Lymphocytes	1.0 - 4.0 x10⁹/L
Monocytes	0.0 - 0.8 x10⁹/L
Eosinophil granulocytes	0.0 - 0.5 x10⁹/L
Basophil granulocytes	0.0 - 0.2 x10⁹/L

2.3 Coagulation

Prothrombin time (PT)	7 - 10 s
INR	0.8 - 1.2	The INR is a corrected ratio of a patients PT to normal
Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT)	29 - 41 s
Thrombin clotting time (TCT)	11 - 18 s
Fibrinogen	1.8 - 4.0 g/L
Bleeding time	2 - 8 minutes

3 Immunology

Antinuclear antibodies (ANA)
Extractable nuclear antigen (ENA)

4 Serology

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Total Protein	60 - 80 g/L
Albumin	30 - 50 g/L
Total Bilirubin	2 - 14 μmol/L
Direct Bilirubin	0 - 4 μmol/L
Alanine transaminaseAlanine transaminase or ALT is (mostly) a liver enzyme. It is also called Serum Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase SGPT or Alanine aminotransferrase ALAT The spillover of this enzyme into blood is routinely measured as a marker of liver-cell damage. This helps (ALT)	8 - 40 U/L	Also called serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT)
Alkaline phosphataseAlkaline phosphatase ALP is a hydrolase enzyme responsible for removing phosphate groups in the 5- and 3- positions from many types of molecules, including nucleotides, proteins, and alkaloids. The process of removing the phosphate group is called dephosp (ALP)	40 - 130 U/L	Higher in children and pregnant women.
Gamma glutamyl transferase	< 50 U/L

Creatine kinaseCreatine kinase (CK), also known as phosphocreatine kinase or creatine phosphokinase (CPK) is an enzyme ( EC ) expressed by various tissue types. Its function is the catalysis of the conversion of creatine to phosphocreatine, consuming adenosine triphosph (CK)	22 - 198 U/L
Aspartate transaminaseAspartate transaminase AST also called Serum Glutamic Oxaloacetic Transaminase SGOT or aspartate aminotransferase ASAT is similar to Alanine transaminase (ALT) in that it is another enzyme associated with liver parenchymal cells. It is raised in acute liv (AST)	8 - 35 U/L
Lactate dehydrogenaseLactate dehydrogenase LDH is an enzyme ( EC ) present in a wide variety of organisms, including plants and animals. It catalyses the interconversion of pyruvate and lactate with concomitant interconversion of NADH and NAD+. As it can also catalyze the oxi (LDH)	85 - 285 U/L
AmylaseAmylase ( EC ) is a digestive enzyme classified as a saccharidase (an enzyme that cleaves polysaccharides). It is mainly a constituent of pancreatic juice and saliva, needed for the breakdown of long-chain carbohydrates (such as starch) into smaller units	25 - 125 U/L
C-reactive protein (CRP)	<8 mg/L
D-dimer	<500 ng/ml