CLINICAL LABORATORY TESTS – REFERENCE VALUES
This table lists reference ranges (expressed in both SI units and traditional units) for the most common laboratory tests and is intended for interpretation of
the results as they are provided in the examinations. Most of the values apply to adults and where they differ for children it will be indicated. Many
important laboratory reference values are not listed here, because of the less frequent use of these tests. Such values are inserted parenthetically following
the result recorded in the examination question.
Tests SI Units Traditional Units
Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) 25-40 sec 25-40 sec
Albumin (serum) 35-50 g/L 3.5-5.0 g/dL
Amylase (serum) 25-125 IU/L 25-125 U/L
Bicarbonate (HCO3) (serum) 23-29 mmol/L 23-29 mEq/L
Bilirubin (serum)* Neonates (conjugated) 0-10 μmol/L 0-0.6 mg/dL
(total) 1.7-180 μmol/L 1.0-10.5 mg/dL
Adults (conjugated) 0-5 μmol/L 0-0.3 mg/dL
(total) 3-22 μmol/L 0.2-1.3 mg/dL
Bleeding time (Ivy) < 5 min < 5 min
Calcium (serum)**
Total 2.10-2.50 mmol/L 8.4-10.6 mg/dL
Ionized 1.15-1.35 mmol/L 4.6-5.1 mg/dL
Calcium (urine) < 6.2 mmol/d < 250 mg/24h
Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) (serum) < 3.0 µg/L < 3.0 ng/mL
CO2 (total)** 22-29 mmol/L 22-29 mEq/L
Chloride (serum) 96-106 mmol/L 96-106 mEq/L
Chloride (urine) Infant 2-10 mmol/d 2-10 mEq/24h
Child 14-50 mmol/d 14-50 mEq/24h
Adults 110-250 mmol/d 110-250 mEq/24h
Cholesterol (serum)** < 5.2 mmol/L < 200 mg/dL
Cortisol (plasma) 8 AM 170-635 nmol/L 6-23 μg/dL
4 PM 82-413 nmol/L 3-15 μg/dL
Creatinine (serum) 50-110 μmol/L 0.6-1.2 mg/dL
Creatinine (urine) Males 8.8-17.6 mmol/d 1.0-2.0 g/24h
Females 7.0-15.8 mmol/d 0.8-1.8 g/24h
Creatine kinase (CK, CPK) - Males (race dependent) 20-215 IU/L 20-215 U/L
Females (race dependent) 20-160 IU/L 20-160 U/L
Erythrocytes (RBCs) - Children** 4.5-5.1 x 1012/L 4.5-5.1 million/mm3
Males 4.6-6.2 x 1012/L 4.6-6.2 million/mm3
Females 4.2-5.4 x 1012/L 4.2-5.4 million/mm3
Ferritin (serum) 20-200 μg/L 20-200 ng/mL
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (plasma)
Males 1-10 IU/L 1-10 mU/mL
Females, premenopausal 20-50 IU/L 20-50 mU/mL
Females, postmenopausal 40-250 IU/L 40-250 mU/mL
Glucose (fasting) (plasma or serum) 3.9-6.1 mmol/L 70-110 mg/dL
Growth hormone (hGH) (serum, adult) fasting 0-10 μg/L 0-10 ng/mL
Hematocrit - Newborn 0.49-0.54 49-54%
Children** 0.35-0.49 35-49%
Males 0.40-0.54 40-54%
Females 0.37-0.47 37-47%
Hemoglobin (Hb) - Newborn 165-195 g/L 16.5-19.5 g/dL
Children** 112-165 g/L 11.2-16.5 g/dL
Males 140-180 g/L 14.0-18.0 g/dL
Females 120-160 g/L 12.0-16.0 g/dL
High density lipoproteins (HDL) (recommended range) > 0.91 mmol/L > 35 mg/dL
INR 0.9-1.1 0.9-1.1
Iron (serum) - Males 13-31 μmol/L 75-175 μg/dL
Females 5-29 μmol/L 28-162 μg/dL
Iron binding capacity (serum) (TIBC) 45-73 μmol/L 250-410 μg/dL
Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (serum) - Adult 45-90 IU/L 45-90 U/L
Child 60-170 IU/L 60-170 U/L
> 60 years old 55-100 IU/L 55-100 U/L
*Test values are method dependent
**Test values vary with age
***Test values are diet dependent ..../over
This table lists reference ranges (expressed in both SI units and traditional units) for the most common laboratory tests and is intended for interpretation of
the results as they are provided in the examinations. Most of the values apply to adults and where they differ for children it will be indicated. Many
important laboratory reference values are not listed here, because of the less frequent use of these tests. Such values are inserted parenthetically following
the result recorded in the examination question.
Tests SI Units Traditional Units
Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) 25-40 sec 25-40 sec
Albumin (serum) 35-50 g/L 3.5-5.0 g/dL
Amylase (serum) 25-125 IU/L 25-125 U/L
Bicarbonate (HCO3) (serum) 23-29 mmol/L 23-29 mEq/L
Bilirubin (serum)* Neonates (conjugated) 0-10 μmol/L 0-0.6 mg/dL
(total) 1.7-180 μmol/L 1.0-10.5 mg/dL
Adults (conjugated) 0-5 μmol/L 0-0.3 mg/dL
(total) 3-22 μmol/L 0.2-1.3 mg/dL
Bleeding time (Ivy) < 5 min < 5 min
Calcium (serum)**
Total 2.10-2.50 mmol/L 8.4-10.6 mg/dL
Ionized 1.15-1.35 mmol/L 4.6-5.1 mg/dL
Calcium (urine) < 6.2 mmol/d < 250 mg/24h
Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) (serum) < 3.0 µg/L < 3.0 ng/mL
CO2 (total)** 22-29 mmol/L 22-29 mEq/L
Chloride (serum) 96-106 mmol/L 96-106 mEq/L
Chloride (urine) Infant 2-10 mmol/d 2-10 mEq/24h
Child 14-50 mmol/d 14-50 mEq/24h
Adults 110-250 mmol/d 110-250 mEq/24h
Cholesterol (serum)** < 5.2 mmol/L < 200 mg/dL
Cortisol (plasma) 8 AM 170-635 nmol/L 6-23 μg/dL
4 PM 82-413 nmol/L 3-15 μg/dL
Creatinine (serum) 50-110 μmol/L 0.6-1.2 mg/dL
Creatinine (urine) Males 8.8-17.6 mmol/d 1.0-2.0 g/24h
Females 7.0-15.8 mmol/d 0.8-1.8 g/24h
Creatine kinase (CK, CPK) - Males (race dependent) 20-215 IU/L 20-215 U/L
Females (race dependent) 20-160 IU/L 20-160 U/L
Erythrocytes (RBCs) - Children** 4.5-5.1 x 1012/L 4.5-5.1 million/mm3
Males 4.6-6.2 x 1012/L 4.6-6.2 million/mm3
Females 4.2-5.4 x 1012/L 4.2-5.4 million/mm3
Ferritin (serum) 20-200 μg/L 20-200 ng/mL
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (plasma)
Males 1-10 IU/L 1-10 mU/mL
Females, premenopausal 20-50 IU/L 20-50 mU/mL
Females, postmenopausal 40-250 IU/L 40-250 mU/mL
Glucose (fasting) (plasma or serum) 3.9-6.1 mmol/L 70-110 mg/dL
Growth hormone (hGH) (serum, adult) fasting 0-10 μg/L 0-10 ng/mL
Hematocrit - Newborn 0.49-0.54 49-54%
Children** 0.35-0.49 35-49%
Males 0.40-0.54 40-54%
Females 0.37-0.47 37-47%
Hemoglobin (Hb) - Newborn 165-195 g/L 16.5-19.5 g/dL
Children** 112-165 g/L 11.2-16.5 g/dL
Males 140-180 g/L 14.0-18.0 g/dL
Females 120-160 g/L 12.0-16.0 g/dL
High density lipoproteins (HDL) (recommended range) > 0.91 mmol/L > 35 mg/dL
INR 0.9-1.1 0.9-1.1
Iron (serum) - Males 13-31 μmol/L 75-175 μg/dL
Females 5-29 μmol/L 28-162 μg/dL
Iron binding capacity (serum) (TIBC) 45-73 μmol/L 250-410 μg/dL
Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (serum) - Adult 45-90 IU/L 45-90 U/L
Child 60-170 IU/L 60-170 U/L
> 60 years old 55-100 IU/L 55-100 U/L
*Test values are method dependent
**Test values vary with age
***Test values are diet dependent ..../over
