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Below is a selection of reference ranges for various haematological and biochemical investigations. Always consult with your local laboratory, as ranges differ between labs. This page is intended for educational purposes only and should never be used for clinical decision making.
Full blood count¹
Haemoglobin (Hb):
- ♂ 130 – 180 g/L
- ♀ 115 – 165 g/L
White cell count (WCC):
- Total: 3.6 – 11.0 x 109/L
- Neutrophils: 1.8 – 7.5 x 109/L
- Lymphocytes: 1.0 – 4.0 x 109/L
- Monocytes: 0.2 – 0.8 x 109/L
- Eosinophils: 0.1 – 0.4 x 109/L
- Basophils: 0.02 – 0.10 x 109/L
Platelet count: 140 – 400 x109/L
Red cell count (RCC):
- ♂ 4.5 – 6.5 x 109/L
- ♀ 3.8 – 5.8 x 109/L
Haematocrit:
- ♂ 0.40 – 0.54 L/L
- ♀ 0.37 – 0.47 L/L
Mean cell volume (MCV): 80 – 100 fL
Mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH): 27 – 32 pg/cell
Reticulocyte count: 0.2 – 2%
Coagulation¹
Prothrombin time (PT): 10 – 14 seconds
Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT): 24 – 37 second
Fibrinogen: 1.50 – 4.50 g/L
D-dimer: < 500 ng/mL
Haematinics¹
Ferritin:
- ♂ 25 – 350 ng/mL
- ♀ 10 – 300 ng/mL
Vitamin B12: 180 – 1000 pg/mL
Folate: > 4.0 ng/mL
Total serum iron:
- ♂ 11.6 – 35.0 μmol/L
- ♀ 4.6 – 30.4 μmol/L
Transferrin: 2.0 – 3.6 g/L
Transferrin saturation: 20 – 50%
Total iron binding capacity (TIBC): 45 – 81 μmol/L
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR):
- ♂ ≤ 49 years: 1 – 7
- ♂ ≥ 50 years: 2 – 10
- ♀ ≤ 49 years: 3 – 9
- ♀ ≥ 50 years: 5 – 15
Biochemistry ¹
Urea & electrolytes (U&Es)
Na+: 133–146 mmol/L
K+: 3.5–5.3 mmol/L
Ca2+(adjusted): 2.2-2.6 mmol/L
Mg2+: 0.7–1.0 mmol/L
Chloride: 98-106 mmol/L
Urea: 2.5 – 7.8 mmol/L
Creatinine:
- ♂ 59–104 μmol/L
- ♀ 45–84 μmol/ L
Liver function tests (LFTs)
Alkaline phosphatase (ALP): 30–130 U/L
Alanine aminotransferase (ALT):
- ♂ <41 U/L
- ♀<33 U/L
Bilirubin: <21 μmol/L
GGT:
- ♂ <60 U/L
- ♀<40 U/L
Albumin: 35–50 g/L
Inflammatory markers
CRP: < 5mg/L
Arterial blood gas results
pH: 7.35 – 7.45
pO2: 11 – 13 kPa (82.5 – 97.5 mmHg)
pCO2: 4.7 – 6.0 kPa (35.2 – 45 mmHg)
HCO3: 22 – 26 mmol/L
Base excess: (-2 to +2 mmol/L)
Metabolic tests
Serum ketones: < 0.6 mmol/L
Fasting blood glucose: 4.0 to 6.0 mmol/L
Postprandial (2 hours after eating): up to 7.8 mmol/L
HbA1c: < 42 mmol/mol (6.0%)
Cholesterol: < 5 mmol/L
Triglyceride: 0.55–1.90 mmol/L
LDL: < 3mmol/L
HDL: > 1 mmol/L
Cholesterol/HDL: < 4
Endocrinology
TSH: 0.4–4.0 mU/L²
Free T4: 9 – 24 pmol/L
Free T3: 3.5 – 7.8 pmol/L
Parathyroid hormone: 10 – 65 ng/L
Growth hormone (random):
- ♂< 5 ng/mL
- ♀< 10 ng/mL
Cortisol (random): 137 – 429 nmol/L
Testosterone:
- Male <50: 10-45 nmol/L
- Male >50: 6.2-26 nmol/L
Triglyceride: 0.55–1.90 mmol/L
LDL: < 3mmol/L
HDL: > 1 mmol/L
Cholesterol/HDL: < 4
Other biochemistry tests
Serum total protein: 60 – 78 g/L
Troponin T: < 0.01 µg/L
Creatine kinase (CK):
- ♂ 40–320 U/L
- ♀ 25–200 U/L
Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH): 240–480 U/L
Lactate (plasma): 0.5 – 2.2 mmol/L
Urate:
- ♂ 200–430 μmol/L
- ♀ 140–360 μmol/L
Amylase: 28–100 U/dL
Ammonia: 10 – 35 μmol/L
NT-proBNP:
- < 75 years: < 125 pg/mL
- > 75 years: < 450 pg/mL
Copper: 70 – 150 μg/dL
Ceruloplasmin: 15 – 60 μmol/L
Vitamin D: > 500 nmol/L
Serum osmolality: 275 – 295 mOsmol/kg
24h urine osmolality: 500 – 800 mOsm/kg
Random urine osmolality: 300 – 900 mOsm/kg
12h fluid restricted urine osmolality: > 850 mOsm/kg
24h urine sodium (Na+): 100 – 260 mmol/24h
24h urine potassium (K+): 25 – 100 mmol/24h
24h urine total protein: < 100 mg/24h
Urine pH (random): 5 – 7
Tumour markers
Beta Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (bHCG): < 5 mU/mL
Alpha Fetoprotein: < 44 ng/mL
Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA): < 4.0 ng/mL
Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA):
- Non-smokers at 50 years: < 3.6 μg/L
- Non-smokers at 70 years: < 4.1 μg/L
- Smokers: < 5 μg/L
CA-125: < 35 U/mL
CA19-9: < 40 U/mL
Immunology
Anti-SS-A (La):
- Negative: < 3 U/mL
- Positive: > 4 U/mL
Anti-Streptolysin O Titre (ASOT):
- Pre-school Age: < 100
- School Age: < 250
- Adults: < 125
Rheumatoid Factor (RF):
- Negative: < 20 U/mL
- Positive: > 30 U/mL
Anti-Mitochondrial Antibodies (AMA):
- Negative: < 10 U/mL
- Positive: > 10 U/mL
Perinuclear Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies (p-ANCA):
- Negative: < 5 U/mL
- Positive: > 5 U/mL
Anti-Histone Antibodies:
- Negative: < 25 U/mL
- Positive: > 25 U/mL
IgA: 110 – 560 mg/dL
IgD: 0.5 – 3.0 mg/dL
IgE: 0.01 – 0.04 mg/dL
IgG: 800 – 1800 mg/dL
IgM: 54 – 200 mg/d
Anti-ds-DNA:
- Negative: < 40 U/mL
- Positive: > 60 U/mL
Anti-ss-DNA:
- Negative: < 8 U/mL
- Positive: > 10 U/mL
Cytoplasmic Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies (c-ANCA):
- Negative: < 20 U/mL
- Positive: > 30 U/mL
Anti-SS-A (Ro):
- Negative: < 15 U/mL
- Positive: > 25 U/mL
Lumbar puncture results
Appearance: clear and colourless
White blood cells (WBC): 0 – 5 cells/µL
- No neutrophils present, primarily lymphocytes
- Normal cell counts do not rule out meningitis or any other pathology
Red blood cells (RBC): 0 – 10/mm³
Protein: 0.15 – 0.45 g/L (or <1% of the serum protein concentration)
Glucose: 2.8 – 4.2 mmol/L (or ≥ 60% plasma glucose concentration)
Opening pressure: 10 – 20 cm H2O
References
- East Sussex Healthcare Laboratory.
- British Thyroid Foundation. Thyroid function tests. Available from: [LINK]
- Diabetes UK. Blood sugar level ranges. Available from: [LINK]
