BLOOD, PLASMA, OR SERUM VALUES

Determination				Reference Range			Minimal ml Required *	Note
				Conventional		SI
Acetoacetate plus acetone				Negative			1-B
Aldolase				1.3–8.2 U/L		22–137 nmol · sec–1/L	2-S	Use unhemolyzed serum
Ammonia				12–55 μmol/L		12–55 μmol/L	2-B	Collect in heparinized tube; deliver immediately packed in ice
Amylase				4–25 units/ml		4–25 arb. unit	1-S
Ascorbic acid				0.4–1.5 mg/100 ml		23–85 μmol/L	7-B	Collect in heparinized tube before any food is given

^*Abbreviations used: SI, Système International d'Unités; P, plasma; S, serum; B, blood; and U, urine.

Determination				Reference Range			Minimal ml Required	Note
				Conventional		SI
Bilirubin				Direct: up to 0.4 mg/100 ml		Up to 7 μmol/L	1-S
				Total: up to 1.0 mg/100 ml		Up to 17 μmol/L
Blood volume				8.5–9.0% of body weight in kg		80–85 ml/kg

Determination				Reference Range			Minimal ml Required	Note
				Conventional		SI
CA-125				<20 U/ml		<20 kU/L	5	Collect in plain red top tube
Calcium				8.5–10.5 mg/100 ml (slightly higher in children)		2.1–2.6 mmol/L	1-S
Carbamazepine				4.0–12.0 μg/ml		17–51 μmol/L
Carbon dioxide content				24–30 mEq/L		24–30 mmol/L	1-S	Fill tube to top
Carbon monoxide				<5% of total hemoglobin			3-B	Fill tube to top
Carcinoembryonic antigen				0.0–2.5 ng/ml		0.0–2.5 μg/L	0.5	Collect in plain red top tube
Carotenoids				0.8–4.0 μg/ml		1.5–7.4 μmol/L	3-S	Vitamin A may be done on same specimen
Ceruloplasmin				27–37 mg/100 ml		1.8–2.5 μmol/L	2-S
Chloramphenicol				10–20 μg/ml		31–62 μmol/L	0.2-S
Chloride				100–106 mEq/L		100–106 mmol/L	1-S
CK isoenzymes				5% MB or less			0.2-S
Copper				Total: 100–200 μg/100 ml		16–31 μmol/L	1-S
C reactive protein				0–1.0 mg/dl		0–10 mg/L	0.5	Collect in serum separator tube or heparinized plasma
Creatine kinase (CK)				Female: 10–79 U/L		167–1317 nmol · sec−1 /L	1-S
				Male: 17–148 U/L		283–2467 nmol · sec−1 /L
Creatinine				0.6–1.5 mg/100 ml		53–133 μmol/L	1-S

Determination				Reference Range			Minimal ml Required	Note
				Conventional		SI
Ethanol				0 mg/100 ml		0 mmol/L	2-B	Collect in oxalate and refrigerate

Determination				Reference Range			Minimal ml Required	Note
				Conventional		SI
Glucose				Fasting: 70–110 mg/100 ml		3.9–5.6 mmol/L	1-P	Collect with oxalate-fluoride mixture

Determination				Reference Range			Minimal ml Required	Note
				Conventional		SI
Iron				50–150 μg/100 ml (higher in males)		9.0–26.9 μmol/L	1-S
Iron-binding capacity				250–410 μg/100 ml		44.8–73.4 μmol/L	1-S

Determination				Reference Range			Minimal ml Required	Note
				Conventional		SI
Lactic acid				0.6–1.8 mEq/L		0.6–1.8 mmol/L	2-B	Collect with oxalate-fluoride mixture; deliver immediately packed in ice
Lactic dehydrogenase				45–90 U/L		750–1500 nmol · sec−1 /L	1-S	Unsuitable if hemolyzed
Lead				50 μg/100 ml or less		Up to 2.4 μmol/L	2-B	Collect with oxalate-fluoride mixture
Lipase				2 units/ml or less		Up to 2 arb. unit	1-S
Lipids
	Cholesterol			<200 mg/dl		<5.18 mmol/L	1-S	Fasting
	Triglycerides			40–150 mg/100 ml		0.4–1.5 g/L	1-S	Fasting
	Lipoprotein electrophoresis (LEP)						2-S	Fasting, do not freeze serum
Lithium				0.6–1.2 mEq/L		0.6–1.2 nmol/L	1-S

Determination				Reference Range			Minimal ml Required	Note
				Conventional		SI
Magnesium				1.5–2.0 mEq/L		0.8–1.3 mmol/L	1-S

Determination				Reference Range			Minimal ml Required	Note
				Conventional		SI
5′ Nucleotidase				1–11 U/L		17–183 nmol · sec−1/L	1-S

Determination				Reference Range			Minimal ml Required	Note
				Conventional		SI
Osmolality				280–296 mOsm/kg water		280–296 mmol/kg	1-S
Oxygen saturation (arterial)				96–100%		0.96–1.00	3-B	Deliver in sealed heparinized syringe packed in ice

Determination				Reference Range			Minimal ml Required	Note
				Conventional		SI
Pco2				35–45 mm Hg		4.7–6.0 kPa	2-B	Collect and deliver in sealed heparinized syringe
pH				7.35–7.45		Same	2-B	Collect without stasis in sealed heparinized syringe; deliver packed in ice
Po2				75–100 mm Hg (dependent on age) while breathing room air		10.0–13.3 kPa	2-B
				Above 500 mm Hg while on 100% O2
Phenobarbital				15–50 μg/ml		65–215 μmol/L	1-S
Phenytoin (Dilantin)				10–20 μg/ml		20–80 μmol/L	1-S
Phosphatase (acid)				Male–Total: 0.13–0.63 sigma U/ml		36–175 nmol · sec–1/L	1-S	Must always be drawn just before analysis or stored as frozen serum; avoid hemolysis
				Female–Total: 0.01–0.56 sigma U/ml		2.8–156 nmol· sec–1/L
				Prostatic: 0–0.05 Fishman-Lerner U/100 ml
Phosphatase (alkaline)				13–39 U/L, infants and adolescents up to 104 U/L		217–650 nmol · sec–1/L, up to 1.26 μmol/L	1-S
Phosphorus (inorganic)				3.0–4.5 mg/100 ml (infants in first year up to 6.0 mg/100 ml)		1.0–1.5 mmol/L	1-S
Potassium				3.5–5.0 mEq/L		3.5–5.0 mmol/L	1-S	Serum must be separated promptly from cells
Primidone (Mysoline)				4–12 μg/ml		18–55 μmol/L	1-S
Procainamide				4–10 μg/ml		17–42 μmol/L	1-S
Prostate-specific antigen				<4.0 ng/ml		<4.0 μ/L	2	Serum separator or EDTA plasma
Protein: Total				6.0–8.4 g/100 ml		60–84 g/L	1-S
	Albumin			3.5–5.0 g/100 ml		35–50 g/L	1-S
	Globulin			2.3–3.5 g/100 ml		23–35 g/L		Globulin equals total protein minus albumin
	Electrophoresis			(% of total protein)			1-S	Quantitation by densitometry
		Albumin		52–68
		Globulin:
			Alpha1	4.2–7.2
			Alpha2	6.8–12
			Beta	9.3–15
			Gamma	13–23
Pyruvic acid				0–0.11 mEq/L		0–0.11 mmol/L	2-B	Collect with oxalate fluoride. Deliver immediately packed in ice

Determination				Reference Range			Minimal ml Required	Note
				Conventional		SI
Quinidine				1.2–4.0 μg/ml		3.7–12.3 μmol/L	1-S

Determination				Reference Range			Minimal ml Required	Note
				Conventional		SI
Salicylate:				0			2-P
	Therapeutic			20–25 mg/100 ml;		1.4–1.8 mmol/L
				25–30 mg/100 ml to age 10 yr 3 hr post dose		1.8–2.2 mmol/L
Sodium				135–145 mEq/L		135–145 mmol/L	1-S
Sulfonamide				5–15 mg/100 ml			2-P

Determination				Reference Range			Minimal ml Required	Note
				Conventional	SI
Transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase				7–27 U/L		117–450 nmol · sec–1/L	1-S
Transaminase, alanine aminotransferase				1–21 U/L		17–350 nmol · sec–1/L	1-S
Troponin-I				0–0.5 ng/ml		0–0.5 µg/L	0.6	Collect in light green top tube
Troponin-I				0–0.5 ng/ml			0.6	Collect in light green top tube

Determination				Reference Range			Minimal ml Required	Note
				Conventional		SI
Urea nitrogen (BUN)				8–25 mg/100 ml		2.9–8.9 mmol/L	1-S
Uric acid				3.0–7.0 mg/100 ml		0.18–0.42 mmol/L	1-S

Determination				Reference Range			Minimal ml Required	Note
				Conventional		SI
Vitamin A				0.15–0.6 μg/ml		0.5–2.1 μmol/L	3-S