This chart gives a quick overview of what is normal and the conditions that result in high or low values.
| Test | Normal Values | Possible Causes of High or Low Values | |
|---|---|---|---|
| May Increase with: | May Decrease with: | ||
| Hematology | |||
| Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)—formerly called serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) | Men: 10–40 units/L Women: 9–25 units/L | Myocardial infarction, cardiac surgery, hepatitis, cirrhosis, trauma, severe burns, progressive muscular dystrophy, infectious mononucleosis, acute renal failure, Reye syndrome, HELLP syndrome | Uremia, chronic dialysis, ketoacidosis |
| Bleeding time—indication of hemostatic efficiency | 1–9 min | Hemorrhagic purpura, acute leukemia, aplastic anemia, DIC, oral anticoagulant therapy, Reye syndrome | |
| Hematocrit—volume of packed red blood cells/100 mL of blood | Men: 45% (40%–50%) Women: 40% (38%–47%) | Dehydration, polycythemia, congenital heart disease | Anemia, hemorrhage, leukemia, dietary deficiencies |
| Hemoglobin—oxygen-combining protein | Men: 13.5–18 gm/dL Women: 12–16 gm/dL | Same as for Hematocrit | Same as for Hematocrit |
| Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT)—tests coagulation mechanism; stage I deficiencies | aPTT: 25–41 | Deficiency of factors VIII, IX, X, XI, XII; anticoagulant therapy | Extensive cancer, DIC |
| Platelets—thrombocytes | 150,000–400,000/mm3 | Polycythemia vera, postsplenectomy, anemia, Kawasaki disease | Leukemia, aplastic anemia, cirrhosis, multiple myeloma, chemotherapy, HELLP syndrome |
| Prothrombin time—tests extrinsic clotting; stages II and III | 10–13 sec INR: 2.0–3.0 | Anticoagulant therapy, DIC, hepatic disease, malabsorption, Reye syndrome | Digitalis therapy, diuretic reaction, vitamin K therapy |
| Red blood cell count—number of circulating erythrocytes in 1 microL of whole blood | Men: 4.5–6.2 million/microL Women: 4.2–5.4 million/microL | Polycythemia vera, anoxia, dehydration | Leukemia, hemorrhage, anemias, Hodgkin’s |
| Sedimentation rate—speed at which red blood cells settle in uncoagulated blood | Men: 0–15 mm/hr Women: 0–20 mm/hr | Acute bacterial infection, cancer, infectious disease, numerous inflammatory states, rheumatic fever, Kawasaki disease | Polycythemia vera, sickle cell anemia |
| White blood cell count—number of leukocytes in 1 microL | 4.5–11 × 103/microL | Leukemia, bacterial infection, severe sepsis, Kawasaki disease | Viral infection, overwhelming bacterial infection, lupus erythematosus, antineoplastic chemotherapy, bone marrow depression |
| White blood cell differential—enumeration of individual leukocyte distribution | |||
Neutrophils | 56% mean cell count 1800–7800/microL | Bacterial infection, tumor, inflammation, stress, drug reaction, trauma, metabolic disorders | Acute viral infection, anorexia nervosa, radiation therapy, drug induced, alcoholic ingestion |
Eosinophils | 2.7% cell count 0–450/microL | Allergic disorder, parasitic infestation, eosinophilic leukemia | Acute or chronic stress; excess ACTH, cortisone, or epinephrine; endocrine disorder |
Basophils | 25–100/microL, or 0–1% cell count 0–200/microL | Myeloproliferative disease, leukemia | Anaphylactic reaction, hyperthyroidism, radiation therapy, infections, ovulation, pregnancy, aging |
Lymphocytes | 20%–40% cell count 1000–4800/microL | Chronic lymphocytic leukemia, infectious mononucleosis, chronic bacterial infection, viral infection | Leukemia, systemic lupus erythematosus, immune deficiency disorders |
| Blood Chemistry | |||
| Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) | 32–92 units/L | Hyperparathyroidism, Paget’s disease, cancer with bone metastasis, obstructive jaundice, cirrhosis, hepatitis A, rickets | Malnutrition, scurvy, celiac disease, chronic nephritis, hypothyroidism, cystic fibrosis |
| Amylase | 80–180 IU/L | Acute pancreatitis, mumps, duodenal ulcer, pancreatic cancer, perforated bowel, renal failure | Advanced chronic pancreatitis, chronic alcoholism |
| Bilirubin, serum | Direct: 0.0–0.4 mg/dL Indirect: 0.2–0.8 mg/dL Total: 0.3–1.0 mg/dL | Massive hemolysis, low-grade hemolytic disease, cirrhosis, obstructive liver disease, hepatitis, biliary obstruction, neonatal (physiological) jaundice | |
| B-type natriuretic peptide | Non-CHF
| Heart failure | |
| Calcium, serum | 8.2–10.2 mg/dL | Hyperparathyroidism, multiple myeloma, bone metastasis, bone fracture, thiazide diuretic reaction, milk-alkali syndrome | Hypoparathyroidism, renal failure, pregnancy, massive transfusion |
| Carbon dioxide | 22–30 mEq/L | Emphysema, salicylate toxicity, vomiting | Starvation, diarrhea |
| Chloride, serum | 98–107 mEq/L | Hyperventilation, diabetes insipidus, uremia, cystic fibrosis | Heart failure, pyloric obstruction, hypoventilation, vomiting, chronic respiratory acidosis |
| Creatine, serum | Men: 0.7–1.3 mg/dL Women: 0.5–1.0 mg/dL | Chronic glomerulonephritis, nephritis, heart failure, muscle disease | Debilitation, long-term corticosteroid therapy |
| Creatine kinase (CK) (creatine phosphokinase [CPK]) | Men: 17–148 IU/L Women: 10–79 IU/L | Acute myocardial infarction, acute stroke, convulsions, surgery, muscular dystrophy, hypokalemia | Addison’s disease |
| CPK/CK Isoenzymes | |||
CPK-MM/CK-MM | 100% | Muscular dystrophy, delirium tremens, surgery, hypokalemia, crush injuries, hypothyroidism | |
CPK-MB/CK-MB | 0.6% of total CPK | Acute myocardial infarction, cardiac defibrillation, myocarditis, cardiac ischemia | |
CPK-BB/CK-BB | 0% | Pulmonary infarction, brain surgery, stroke, pulmonary embolism, seizures, intestinal ischemia | |
| Fibrinogen, serum | 0.2–0.4 gm/100 dL or 200–400 mg/dL | Pneumonia, acute infection, nephrosis, rheumatoid arthritis | Cirrhosis, toxic liver necrosis, anemia, obstetric complications, DIC, advanced carcinoma |
| Glucose (fasting) | 60–110 mg/100 mL (serum) | Acute stress, Cushing’s syndrome, hyperthyroidism, acute or chronic pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus, hyperglycemia | Addison’s disease, liver disease, reactive hypoglycemia, pituitary hypofunction |
| Glycosylated hemoglobin (HgbA1c) | 4.0%–7.0% | Newly diagnosed or poorly controlled diabetes mellitus | Iron-deficiency anemia, chronic blood loss |
| Iron-binding capacity (total) | 218–385 gm/dL | Lead poisoning, hepatic necrosis | |
| Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) | 60–120 units/mL (Wacker Scale) 150–450 units/mL (Wroblewski) | Myocardial infarction, pernicious anemia, chronic viral hepatitis, pneumonia, pulmonary emboli, stroke, renal tissue destruction, leukemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, shock, trauma, Reye syndrome | |
LDH-1 | 17%–27% | ||
LDH-2 | 27%–37% | ||
LDH-3 | 18%–25% | ||
LDH-4 | 3%–8% | ||
LDH-5 | 6%–16% | ||
| Lipids: | |||
| Cholesterol (total serum) | <200 mg/dL | Hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipidemia, myocardial infarction, uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, high-cholesterol diet, hypothyroidism, atherosclerosis, stress, familial biliary obstruction, nephrotic syndrome | Malnutrition, cholesterol-lowering medication, anemia, liver disease, hyperthyroidism |
| <130 mg/dL | ||
| 35–75 mg/dL | ||
| 40–150 mg/100 mL | ||
| Phosphorus, inorganic serum | 3.0–4.5 mg/dL | Chronic glomerular disease, hypoparathyroidism, milk-alkali syndrome, sarcoidosis | Hyperparathyroidism, rickets, osteomalacia, renal tubular necrosis, malabsorption syndrome, vitamin D deficiency |
| Potassium, serum | 3.5–5.0 mEq/L | Diabetic ketosis, renal failure, Addison’s disease, excessive intake, APSGN | Thiazide diuretics, Cushing’s syndrome, cirrhosis with ascites, hyperaldosteronism, steroid therapy, malignant hypertension, poor dietary habits, chronic diarrhea, diaphoresis, renal tubular necrosis, malabsorption syndrome, vomiting |
| Protein, serum (albumin/globulin) | Total: 6.4–8.3 gm/dL Albumin: 3.5–5.0 gm/dL Globulin: 2.8–4.4 gm/dL | Dehydration, multiple myeloma, APSGN | Chronic liver disease, myeloproliferative disease, burns, nephrotic syndrome, Hirschsprung’s disease |
| serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT)—see AST | |||
| Sodium, serum | 136–145 mEq/L | Increased intake, either orally or IV; Cushing’s syndrome, excessive sweating, diabetes insipidus, cystic fibrosis | Addison’s disease, sodium-losing nephropathy, vomiting, diarrhea, fistulas, tube drainage, burns, renal insufficiency with acidosis, starvation with acidosis, paracentesis, thoracentesis, ascites, heart failure, SIADH |
| T3 uptake | 24%–34% | Hyperthyroidism, thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) deficiency | Hypothyroidism, pregnancy, TBG excess |
| Thyroxine | 5–12 mcg/dL | Hyperthyroidism, pregnancy | Hypothyroidism, renal failure |
| Troponin 1 | 0–0.5 ng/ml | Acute myocardial infarction | |
| Urea nitrogen, serum (BUN) | 5–20 mg/dL | Acute or chronic renal failure, heart failure, obstructive uropathy, dehydration, HELLP syndrome | Cirrhosis, malnutrition |
| Uric acid, serum | Men: 4.5–8 mg/dL Women: 2.5–6.2 mg/dL | Gout, chronic renal failure, starvation, diuretic therapy | |
| Blood Gases | |||
| Bicarbonate (HCO3) | 21–28 mEq/L | Metabolic alkalosis | Metabolic acidosis |
| Carbon dioxide pressure (PCO2), whole blood, arterial | 35–45 mm Hg | Primary respiratory acidosis, loss of H+ through nasogastric suctioning or vomiting | Primary respiratory alkalosis |
| Oxygen pressure (PO2), whole blood, arterial | 80–100 mm Hg | Oxygen administration in the absence of severe lung disease | Chronic obstructive lung disease, severe pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, pulmonary edema, respiratory muscle disease |
| pH, serum | 7.35–7.45 | Metabolic alkalosis–alkali ingestion, respiratory alkalosis–hyperventilation | Metabolic acidosis–ketoacidosis, shock, respiratory acidosis–alveolar hypoventilation |
| Immunodiagnostic Studies | |||
| Carcinoembryonic antigen | <2.5 ng/mL | Cancer of: colon, lung, metastatic breast, pancreas, stomach, prostate, ovary, bladder, limbs; also neuroblastoma, leukemias, osteogenic carcinoma; noncancer conditions such as: hepatic cirrhosis, uremia, pancreatitis, colorectal polyposis, peptic ulcer disease, ulcerative colitis, regional enteritis | |
| Urinalysis | |||
| pH | 4.5–7.8 | Metabolic alkalosis | Metabolic acidosis |
| Specific gravity | 1.003–1.029 | Dehydration, pituitary tumor, hypotension, APSGN | Distal renal tubular disease, polycystic kidney disease, diabetes insipidus, overhydration |
| Glucose | Negative | Diabetes mellitus | |
| Protein | Negative | Nephrosis, glomerulonephritis, lupus erythematosus, preeclampsia | |
| Casts | 0–0.4 hyaline casts per LPF | Nephrosis, glomerulonephritis, lupus erythematosus, infection | |
| Red blood cells | Negative | Renal calculi, hemorrhagic cystitis, tumors of the kidney, APSGN | |
| White blood cells | Negative | Inflammation of the kidneys, ureters, or bladder | |
| Color | Normal yellow, clear | Abnormal: red to reddish brown—hematuria; brown to brownish gray—bilirubinuria or urobilinuria; tea colored—possible obstructive jaundice | Almost colorless: chronic kidney disease, diabetes insipidus, diabetes mellitus |
| Sodium | 40–220 mEq/L/24 hr | Salt-wasting renal disease, SIADH, dehydration | Heart failure, primary aldosteronism |
| Chloride | 110–250 mEq/24 hr | Chronic obstructive lung disease, dehydration, salicylate toxicity | Gastric suction, heart failure, emphysema |
| Potassium | 25–125 mEq/L/24 hr | Diuretic therapy | Renal failure |
| Creatinine clearance | 90–139 mL/min | Renal disease | |
| Hydroxycorticosteroids | 2–10 mg/24 hr | Cushing’s disease | Addison’s disease |
| 17-Ketosteroids | Men: 4.5–12 mg/24 hr Women: 2.5–10 mg/24 hr | Hirsutism, adrenal hyperplasia | Thyrotoxicosis, Addison’s disease |
| Catecholamines (VMA) | Epinephrine: <20 mcg/24 hr Norepinephrine: <100 mcg/24 hr | Pheochromocytoma, severe anxiety, numerous medications | |
| Urine Test | |||
| Schilling test | Excretion of 8%–40% or more of test dose should appear in urine | Gastrointestinal malabsorption, pernicious anemia | |