Venepuncture post pic
·
Data Interpretation
·
Last updated:

Reference Ranges

If you'd like to support us and get something great in return, check out our PDF OSCE Checklist Booklet containing over 100 OSCE checklists in PDF format.

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 countΒΉ

Haemoglobin (Hb):

  • β™‚ 130 – 180 g/​L
  • ♀ 115 – 165 g/​L

White cell count (WCC):

  • Total: 3.6 – 11.0 x 109/L
  • Neutrophils: 1.8 – 7.5Β x 109/L
  • Lymphocytes: 1.0 – 4.0Β x 109/L
  • Monocytes: 0.2 – 0.8Β x 109/L
  • Eosinophils: 0.1 – 0.4Β x 109/L
  • Basophils: 0.02 – 0.10Β x 109/L

Platelet count:Β 140 – 400 x109/L

Red cell count (RCC):

  • β™‚ 4.5 – 6.5 x 109/L
  • ♀ 3.8 – 5.8 x 109​​​​​​​/L

Haematocrit:

  • β™‚ 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:Β 0.2 – 2%

CoagulationΒΉ

Prothrombin time (PT): 10 – 14 seconds

Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT): 24 – 37 second

Fibrinogen: 1.50 – 4.50 g/L

D-dimer:Β < 500 ng/mL

HaematinicsΒΉ

Ferritin:

  • β™‚ 25 – 350 ng/mL
  • ♀ 10 – 300 ng/mL

Vitamin B12: 180 – 1000 pg/mL

Folate: > 4.0 ng/mL

Total serum iron:

  • β™‚ 11.6 – 35.0 ΞΌmol/​L
  • ♀ 4.6 – 30.4 ΞΌmol/​L

Transferrin: 2.0 – 3.6 g/L

Transferrin saturation: 20 – 50%

Total iron binding capacity (TIBC):Β 45 – 81Β ΞΌmol/​L

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR):

  • β™‚ ≀ 49 years: 1 – 7
  • β™‚ β‰₯ 50 years: 2 – 10
  • ♀ ≀ 49 years: 3 – 9
  • ♀ β‰₯ 50 years: 5 – 15

BiochemistryΒ ΒΉ

Urea & electrolytes (U&Es)

Na+:Β 133–146 mmol/L

K+:Β 3.5–5.3 mmol/L

Ca2+(adjusted):Β 2.2-2.6 mmol/L

Mg2+: 0.7–1.0 mmol/L

Chloride: 98-106 mmol/L

Urea:Β 2.5 – 7.8 mmol/L

Creatinine:

  • β™‚ 59–104 ΞΌmol/L
  • ♀ 45–84 ΞΌmol/ L

Liver function tests (LFTs)

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP):Β 30–130 U/L

Alanine aminotransferase (ALT):

  • β™‚ <41 U/L
  • ♀<33 U/L

Bilirubin: <21 ΞΌmol/L

GGT:

  • β™‚ <60 U/L
  • ♀<40 U/L

Albumin:Β 35–50 g/L

Inflammatory markers

CRP:Β < 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:Β (-2 to +2 mmol/L)

Metabolic tests

Serum ketones: < 0.6 mmol/L

Fasting blood glucose: 4.0 to 6.0 mmol/L

PostprandialΒ (2 hours after eating):Β 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/LΒ²

Free T4: 9 – 24 pmol/L

Free T3: 3.5 – 7.8 pmol/L

Parathyroid hormone: 10 – 65 ng/L

Growth hormone (random):

  • β™‚< 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 Β΅g/L

Creatine kinase (CK):

  • β™‚ 40–320 U/L
  • ♀ 25–200 U/L

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH): 240–480 U/L

Lactate (plasma): 0.5 – 2.2 mmol/L

Urate:

  • β™‚ 200–430 ΞΌmol/L
  • ♀ 140–360 ΞΌmol/L

Amylase: 28–100 U/dL

Ammonia: 10 – 35 ΞΌmol/L

NT-proBNP:

  • < 75 years: < 125 pg/mL
  • > 75 years: < 450 pg/mL

Copper: 70 – 150 ΞΌg/dL

Ceruloplasmin: 15 – 60 ΞΌmol/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):Β 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: < 3.6Β ΞΌg/L
  • Non-smokers at 70 years: < 4.1Β ΞΌg/L
  • Smokers: < 5Β ΞΌg/L

CA-125: < 35 U/mL

CA19-9:Β < 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 – 3.0Β mg/dL

IgE: 0.01 – 0.04Β mg/dL

IgG: 800 – 1800 mg/dL

IgM: 54 – 200 mg/d

Anti-ds-DNA:

  • Negative: < 40 U/mL
  • Positive: > 60Β 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:Β clear and colourless

White blood cells (WBC):Β 0 – 5 cells/Β΅L

  • No neutrophils present, primarily lymphocytes
  • Normal cell counts do not rule out meningitis or any other pathology

Red blood cells (RBC): 0 – 10/mmΒ³

Protein: 0.15 – 0.45 g/L (or <1% of the serum protein concentration)

Glucose: 2.8 – 4.2 mmol/L (or β‰₯ 60% plasma glucose concentration)

Opening pressure:Β 10 – 20 cm H2O

References

  1. East Sussex Healthcare Laboratory.
  2. British Thyroid Foundation. Thyroid function tests. Available from: [LINK]
  3. Diabetes UK. Blood sugar level ranges. Available from: [LINK]

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Join the community