Reference values vary based on several factors, including the specific laboratory that supplies them. A patient's blood test values should be interpreted based on the reference value of the laboratory in which the test was done; the laboratory typically provides these values with the test result. These values are listed in alphabetical order in the following table.
Normal Laboratory Values: Blood, Plasma, and Serum
|
Test |
Specimen |
Conventional Units |
SI Units |
|
Acetoacetate |
Plasma |
< 1 mg/dL |
< 0.1 mmol/L |
|
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 |
|
|
|
|
Serum |
7–20 ng/dL |
194–554 pmol/L |
|
|
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 units |
— |
|
Anti–cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies |
Serum |
≤ 5.0 units |
— |
|
Antidiuretic hormone (ADH; arginine vasopressin) |
Plasma |
< 1.7 pg/mL |
< 1.57 pmol/L |
|
Anti–double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) antibodies, IgG |
Serum |
< 25 IU |
— |
|
Antimitochondrial M2 antibodies |
Serum |
< 0.1 units |
— |
|
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 units |
— |
|
Antithyroid microsomal antibody titer |
Serum |
< 1:100 |
— |
|
α1-Antitrypsin (AAT) |
Serum |
83–199 mg/dL |
15.3–36.6 mcmol/L |
|
Apolipoproteins: |
|
|
|
|
Serum |
98–210 mg/dL |
0.98–2.1 g/L |
|
|
Serum |
88–180 mg/dL |
0.88–1.8 g/L |
|
|
Serum |
44–148 mg/dL |
0.44–1.48 g/L |
|
|
Serum |
55–151 mg/dL |
0.55–1.51 g/L |
|
|
Bicarbonate |
Serum |
23–28 mEq/L |
23–28 mmol/L |
|
Bilirubin: |
|
|
|
|
Serum |
0–0.3 mg/dL |
0–5.1 mcmol/L |
|
|
Serum |
0.3–1.2 mg/dL |
5.1–20.5 mcmol/L |
|
|
Blood volumes (radioisotope labeling): |
|
|
|
|
Blood |
28–43 mL/kg body wt |
0.028–0.043 L/kg body wt |
|
|
Blood |
25–44 mL/kg body wt |
0.025–0.044 L/kg body wt |
|
|
Blood |
20–30 mL/kg body wt |
0.02–0.03 L/kg body wt |
|
|
Blood |
25–35 mL/kg body wt |
0.025–0.035 L/kg body wt |
|
|
Brain (B-type) natriuretic peptide (BNP) |
Plasma |
< 100 pg/mL |
— |
|
Calcitonin, age ≥ 16 yr: |
|
|
|
|
Serum |
< 8 pg/mL |
— |
|
|
Serum |
< 16 pg/mL |
— |
|
|
Calcium |
Serum |
9–10.5 mg/dL |
2.2–2.6 mmol/L |
|
Cancer antigen (CA): |
|
|
|
|
Serum |
< 35 U/mL |
— |
|
|
Serum |
< 30 U/mL |
— |
|
|
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 ng/mL |
< 2 mcg/L |
|
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: |
|
|
|
|
Plasma |
≥ 40 mg/dL |
≥ 1.04 mmol/L |
|
|
Plasma |
≤ 130 mg/dL |
≤ 3.36 mmol/L |
|
|
Total (TC) |
Plasma |
150–199 mg/dL |
3.88–5.15 mmol/L |
|
Coagulation factors: |
|
|
|
|
Plasma |
150–300 mg/dL |
1.5–3.5 g/L |
|
|
Plasma |
60–150% of normal |
— |
|
|
Plasma |
60–150% of normal |
— |
|
|
Plasma |
60–150% of normal |
— |
|
|
Plasma |
60–150% of normal |
— |
|
|
Plasma |
60–150% of normal |
— |
|
|
Plasma |
60–150% of normal |
— |
|
|
Plasma |
60–150% of normal |
— |
|
|
Plasma |
60–150% of normal |
— |
|
|
Complement: |
|
|
|
|
Serum |
55–120 mg/dL |
0.55–1.20 g/L |
|
|
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: |
|
|
|
|
Serum |
> 18 mcg/dL and usually ≥ 8 mcg/dL above baseline |
> 498 nmol/L and usually ≥ 221 nmol/L above baseline |
|
|
Serum |
3–13 mcg/dL |
83–359 nmol/L |
|
|
Serum |
8–20 mcg/dL |
251–552 nmol/L |
|
|
Serum |
< 5 mcg/dL |
< 138 nmol/L |
|
|
C-peptide |
Serum |
0.9–4.3 ng/mL |
297–1419 pmol/L |
|
C-reactive protein (CRP) |
Serum |
< 0.5 mg/dL |
< 0.005 g/L |
|
C-reactive protein, highly sensitive (hsCRP) |
Serum |
< 1.1 mg/L |
< 0.0011 g/L |
|
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): |
|
|
|
|
Plasma |
0.6–3.3 mg/mL |
1.6–8.9 mcmol/L |
|
|
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): |
|
|
|
|
Plasma |
> 7 mcg/dL |
> 203 nmol/L |
|
|
Plasma |
< 5 mcg/dL |
< 145 nmol/L |
|
|
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 ng/L |
< 410 pmol/L |
|
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR): |
|
|
|
|
Blood |
0–20 mm/h |
0–20 mm/h |
|
|
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: |
|
|
|
|
Serum |
14–27 pg/mL |
50–100 pmol/L |
|
|
Serum |
14–54 pg/mL |
50–200 pmol/L |
|
|
Serum |
19–40 pg/mL |
70–150 pmol/L |
|
|
Estradiol, males |
Serum |
10–30 pg/mL |
37–110 pmol/L |
|
Ferritin: |
|
|
|
|
Serum |
30–200 ng/mL |
30–200 mcg/L |
|
|
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): |
|
|
|
|
Blood |
160–855 ng/mL |
362–1937 nmol/L |
|
|
Serum |
2.5–20 ng/mL |
5.7–45.3 nmol/L |
|
|
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), females: |
|
|
|
|
Serum |
5–20 mU/mL |
5–20 U/L |
|
|
Serum |
30–50 mU/mL |
30–50 U/L |
|
|
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 |
|
Serum |
0.2–0.4 g/dL |
2–4 g/L |
|
|
Serum |
0.5–0.9 g/dL |
5–9 g/L |
|
|
Serum |
0.6–1.1 g/dL |
6–11 g/L |
|
|
Serum |
0.7–1.8 mcg/mL |
— |
|
|
Serum |
0.7–1.7 g/dL |
7–17 g/L |
|
|
Glucose: |
|
|
|
|
Plasma |
< 140 mg/dL |
< 7.8 mmol/L |
|
|
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: |
|
|
|
|
Plasma |
< 2 ng/mL |
< 2 mcg/L |
|
|
Plasma |
> 7 ng/mL |
> 7 mcg/L |
|
|
Haptoglobin |
Serum |
30–200 mg/dL |
300–2000 mg/L |
|
Hematocrit: |
|
|
|
|
Blood |
36–47% |
— |
|
|
Blood |
41–51% |
— |
|
|
Hemoglobin: |
|
|
|
|
Blood |
12–16 g/dL |
120–160 g/L |
|
|
Blood |
14–17 g/dL |
140–170 g/L |
|
|
Hemoglobin A1c |
Blood |
4.7–8.5% |
— |
|
Hemoglobin electrophoresis, adults: |
|
|
|
|
Blood |
95–98% |
— |
|
|
Blood |
2–3% |
— |
|
|
Blood |
0% |
— |
|
|
Blood |
0.8–2.0% |
— |
|
|
Blood |
0% |
— |
|
|
Hemoglobin electrophoresis, Hb F in children: |
|
|
|
|
Blood |
50–80% |
— |
|
|
Blood |
8% |
— |
|
|
Blood |
1–2% |
— |
|
|
Homocysteine: |
|
|
|
|
Plasma |
0.40–1.89 mg/L |
3–14 mcmol/L |
|
|
Plasma |
0.54–2.16 mg/L |
4–16 mcmol/L |
|
|
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), quantitative |
Serum |
< 5 mIU/mL |
— |
|
Immunoglobulins: |
|
|
|
|
Serum |
70–300 mg/dL |
0.7–3.0 g/L |
|
|
Serum |
< 8 mg/dL |
< 80 mg/L |
|
|
Serum |
0.01–0.04 mg/dL |
0.1–0.4 mg/L |
|
|
Serum |
640–1430 mg/dL |
6.4–14.3 g/L |
|
|
Serum |
280–1020 mg/dL |
2.8–10.2 g/L |
|
|
Serum |
60–790 mg/dL |
0.6–7.9 g/L |
|
|
Serum |
14–240 mg/dL |
0.14–2.4 g/L |
|
|
Serum |
11–330 mg/dL |
0.11–3.3 g/L |
|
|
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): |
|
|
|
|
Plasma |
2.0–3.0 |
— |
|
|
Plasma |
2.5–3.5 |
— |
|
|
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 mcg/dL |
< 1.9 mcmol/L |
|
Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase (LAP) score |
Peripheral blood smear |
13–130/100/ polymorphonuclear (PMN) leukocyte neutrophils and bands |
— |
|
Lipase |
Serum |
< 95 U/L |
< 1.58 mckat/L |
|
Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] |
Serum |
≤ 30 mg/dL |
< 1.1 mcmol/L |
|
Luteinizing hormone (LH), females: |
|
|
|
|
Serum |
5–22 mU/mL |
5–22 U/L |
|
|
Serum |
30–250 mU/mL |
30–250 U/L |
|
|
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: |
|
|
|
|
Plasma |
< 0.50 nmol/L |
— |
|
|
Plasma |
< 0.90 nmol/L |
— |
|
|
Methemoglobin |
Blood |
< 1.0% |
— |
|
Methylmalonic acid (MMA) |
Serum |
150–370 nmol/L |
— |
|
Myeloperoxidase (MPO) antibodies |
Serum |
< 6.0 U/mL |
— |
|
Myoglobin: |
|
|
|
|
Serum |
25–58 mcg/L |
1.4–3.5 nmol/L |
|
|
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 pg/mL |
— |
|
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 pmol/L |
— |
|
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: |
|
|
|
|
Serum |
< 1 ng/mL |
< 0.03 nmol/L |
|
|
Serum |
3–30 ng/mL |
0.1–0.95 nmol/L |
|
|
Prolactin: |
|
|
|
|
Serum |
< 20 mcg/L |
< 870 pmol/L |
|
|
Serum |
< 15 mcg/L |
< 652 pmol/L |
|
|
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: |
|
|
|
|
Plasma |
2.9–24 ng/mL/h |
— |
|
|
Plasma |
0.6 (or lower)–4.3 ng/mL/h |
— |
|
|
Reticulocyte count: |
|
|
|
|
Blood |
0.5–1.5% |
— |
|
|
Blood |
23–90 x 103/mcL |
23–90 x 109/L |
|
|
Rheumatoid factor (RF), by nephelometry |
Serum |
< 40 U/mL |
< 40 kU/L |
|
Sodium |
Serum |
136–145 mEq/L |
136–145 mmol/L |
|
Testosterone (total), adults: |
|
|
|
|
Serum |
20–75 ng/dL |
0.7–2.6 nmol/L |
|
|
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): |
|
|
|
|
Serum |
0.9–2.4 ng/dL |
12–31 pmol/L |
|
|
— |
4–11 |
— |
|
|
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 mg/dL |
< 2.82 mmol/L |
|
Triiodothyronine (T3): |
|
|
|
|
Serum |
25–35% |
— |
|
|
Serum |
70–195 ng/dL |
1.1–3.0 nmol/L |
|
|
Troponin I |
Plasma |
< 0.1 ng/mL |
< 0.1 mcg/L |
|
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): |
|
|
|
|
Blood |
< 20 mg/dL |
< 1136 mcmol/L |
|
|
Blood |
0.4–1.5 mg/dL |
23–85 mcmol/L |
|
|
Vitamin D: |
|
|
|
|
Serum |
25–65 pg/mL |
65–169 pmol/L |
|
|
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. |
|||
Drugs Mentioned In This Article
| Drug Name | Select Trade |
|---|---|
Norepinephrine |
LEVOPHED |
Progesterone |
CRINONE |
Testosterone |
DELATESTRYL |
Epinephrine |
ADRENALIN |
vasopressin |
VASOSTRICT |
metyrapone |
METOPIRONE |
calcitriol |
ROCALTROL |
Calcitonin |
MIACALCIN |
Estradiol |
ESTRADERM, ESTROGEL, VIVELLE |
arginine |
R-GENE 10 |
