NORMAL VALUES – Hematology
Normal Adult Reference Range
Determination Clinical Significance
Conventional Units SI Units
Prolonged in thrombocytopenia, defective plt
Bleeding Time 1.5 – 9.5 min 1.5 – 9.5 min
function and ASA therapy
Fibrinogen 200 – 400 mg/dL 2 – 4 g/dL
Lower limit of normal:
20 – 25 sec
Activated Partial Thromboplastin Prolonged in deficiency of fibrinogen, factors II, V,
Time VIII, IX, X, XI, and XII, and in heparin therapy
Upper limit of normal:
32 – 39 sec
Lower limit of normal:
10 sec
Prothrombin Consumption Impaired in deficiency of factors VIII, IX, and X
Upper limit of normal:
14 sec
Prolonged by deficiency in factors I, II, V, VII, and X,
Prothrombin Time 9.5 – 12 sec fat malabsorption, severe liver dse, Coumadin
anticoagulant therapy
1.0
2–3
(for therapy in AFib, DVT and
Used to standardize the prothrombin time and
INR pulmo embolism)
anticoagulation therapy
2.5 – 3.5
(for therapy in prosthetic heart
valves)
Males:
Increased in severe diarrhea and DHN,
4.6 – 6.2 million/mm3
Erythrocyte Count 4.6 – 6.2 x 1012/ L polycythemia, acute poisoning, pulmonary fibrosis
(Red Blood Cells) 4.2 – 5.4 x 1012/ L Decreased in all anemias, in leukemia and after
Females:
hemorrhage when blood volume has been restored
4.2 – 5.4 million/ mm3
ERYTHROCYTE INDICES
Increased in macrocytic anemias
Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) 84 – 96 cu µm 84 – 96 fL
Decreased in microcytic anemia
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin Increased in macrocytic anemias
28 – 33 µµg/cell 28 - 33 pg
(MCH) Decreased in microcytic anemia
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin Concentration fraction:
33 – 35% Decreased in severe hypochromic anemia
concentration (MCHC) 0.33 – 0.35
Males under 50: < 15mm/h < 15 mm/h
Males over 50: < 20 mm/h < 20 mm/h Increased in tissue destruction (inflammatory or
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate
degenerative), during menstruation and pregnancy
(ESR) – Westergren method
Females under 50: <25 mm/h < 25 mm/h and in acute febrile disease
Females over 50: <30 mm/h < 35 mm/h
, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate – < 50 y/o: < 55% Volume fraction: <0.55
Significance similar to ESR
Zeta centrifuge 50 – 80 y/o: 40 – 60% Volume fraction: 0.4 – 0.6
Decreased in severe anemias, anemia of
pregnancy, acute massive blood loss
Males: 42 – 52% Volume fraction: 0.42 – 0.52
Hematocrit
Females: 35 – 47% Volume fraction: 0.35 – 0.47
Increased in erythrocytosis of any cause, and in
DHN or hemoconcentration associated with shock
Decreased in various anemias, pregnancy, severe
or prolonged hemorrhage and with excessive fluid
intake
Males: 13 – 18 g/dL 2.02 – 2.79 mmol/L
Hemoglobin
Females: 12 – 16 g/dL 1.86 – 2.48 mmol/ L
Increased in polycythemia, COPD, failure of
oxygenation because of CHF, and normally in
people living at high altitudes
LEUKOCYTE COUNT 4,500 – 11,000/ mm3 4.5 – 11 x 109/L
Increased with acute infections, trauma or surgery,
leukemia, malignant disease, necrosis
Neutrophils 45 – 73% Number fraction: 0.45 – 0.73
Decreased with viral infections, bone marrow
suppression, primary bone marrow disease
Increased in allergy, parasitic disease, collagen
disease, subacute infections
Eosinophils 0 – 4% Number fraction: 0.00 – 0.004
Decreased with stress, use of some medications
(ACTH, epinephrine, thyroxine)
Increased with acute leukemia and following
surgery or trauma
Basophils 0 – 1% Number fraction: 0.00 – 0.01
Decreased with allergic reactions, stress, allergy,
parasitic disease, use of corticosteroids
Increased with infectious mononucleosis, viral and
some bacterial infections, hepatitis
Lymphocytes 20 – 40% Number fraction: 0.2 – 0.4
Decreased with aplastic anemia, SLE,
immunodeficiency including AIDS
Increased with viral infections, parasitic disease,
collagen and hemolytic disorders
Monocytes 2 – 8% Number fraction: 0.02 – 0.08
Decreased with use of corticosteroids, RA, HIV infx
Increased in malignancy, myeloproliferative
disease, RA and post-operatively; about 50% of
patient with unexpected increase of platelet count
will be found to have a malignancy
Platelet count 150,000 – 450,000/ mm3 0.15 – 0.45 x 1012/L
Decreased in thrombocytopenic purpura, acute
leukemia, aplastic anemia and during cancer
chemotherapy
Normal Adult Reference Range
Determination Clinical Significance
Conventional Units SI Units
Prolonged in thrombocytopenia, defective plt
Bleeding Time 1.5 – 9.5 min 1.5 – 9.5 min
function and ASA therapy
Fibrinogen 200 – 400 mg/dL 2 – 4 g/dL
Lower limit of normal:
20 – 25 sec
Activated Partial Thromboplastin Prolonged in deficiency of fibrinogen, factors II, V,
Time VIII, IX, X, XI, and XII, and in heparin therapy
Upper limit of normal:
32 – 39 sec
Lower limit of normal:
10 sec
Prothrombin Consumption Impaired in deficiency of factors VIII, IX, and X
Upper limit of normal:
14 sec
Prolonged by deficiency in factors I, II, V, VII, and X,
Prothrombin Time 9.5 – 12 sec fat malabsorption, severe liver dse, Coumadin
anticoagulant therapy
1.0
2–3
(for therapy in AFib, DVT and
Used to standardize the prothrombin time and
INR pulmo embolism)
anticoagulation therapy
2.5 – 3.5
(for therapy in prosthetic heart
valves)
Males:
Increased in severe diarrhea and DHN,
4.6 – 6.2 million/mm3
Erythrocyte Count 4.6 – 6.2 x 1012/ L polycythemia, acute poisoning, pulmonary fibrosis
(Red Blood Cells) 4.2 – 5.4 x 1012/ L Decreased in all anemias, in leukemia and after
Females:
hemorrhage when blood volume has been restored
4.2 – 5.4 million/ mm3
ERYTHROCYTE INDICES
Increased in macrocytic anemias
Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) 84 – 96 cu µm 84 – 96 fL
Decreased in microcytic anemia
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin Increased in macrocytic anemias
28 – 33 µµg/cell 28 - 33 pg
(MCH) Decreased in microcytic anemia
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin Concentration fraction:
33 – 35% Decreased in severe hypochromic anemia
concentration (MCHC) 0.33 – 0.35
Males under 50: < 15mm/h < 15 mm/h
Males over 50: < 20 mm/h < 20 mm/h Increased in tissue destruction (inflammatory or
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate
degenerative), during menstruation and pregnancy
(ESR) – Westergren method
Females under 50: <25 mm/h < 25 mm/h and in acute febrile disease
Females over 50: <30 mm/h < 35 mm/h
, Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate – < 50 y/o: < 55% Volume fraction: <0.55
Significance similar to ESR
Zeta centrifuge 50 – 80 y/o: 40 – 60% Volume fraction: 0.4 – 0.6
Decreased in severe anemias, anemia of
pregnancy, acute massive blood loss
Males: 42 – 52% Volume fraction: 0.42 – 0.52
Hematocrit
Females: 35 – 47% Volume fraction: 0.35 – 0.47
Increased in erythrocytosis of any cause, and in
DHN or hemoconcentration associated with shock
Decreased in various anemias, pregnancy, severe
or prolonged hemorrhage and with excessive fluid
intake
Males: 13 – 18 g/dL 2.02 – 2.79 mmol/L
Hemoglobin
Females: 12 – 16 g/dL 1.86 – 2.48 mmol/ L
Increased in polycythemia, COPD, failure of
oxygenation because of CHF, and normally in
people living at high altitudes
LEUKOCYTE COUNT 4,500 – 11,000/ mm3 4.5 – 11 x 109/L
Increased with acute infections, trauma or surgery,
leukemia, malignant disease, necrosis
Neutrophils 45 – 73% Number fraction: 0.45 – 0.73
Decreased with viral infections, bone marrow
suppression, primary bone marrow disease
Increased in allergy, parasitic disease, collagen
disease, subacute infections
Eosinophils 0 – 4% Number fraction: 0.00 – 0.004
Decreased with stress, use of some medications
(ACTH, epinephrine, thyroxine)
Increased with acute leukemia and following
surgery or trauma
Basophils 0 – 1% Number fraction: 0.00 – 0.01
Decreased with allergic reactions, stress, allergy,
parasitic disease, use of corticosteroids
Increased with infectious mononucleosis, viral and
some bacterial infections, hepatitis
Lymphocytes 20 – 40% Number fraction: 0.2 – 0.4
Decreased with aplastic anemia, SLE,
immunodeficiency including AIDS
Increased with viral infections, parasitic disease,
collagen and hemolytic disorders
Monocytes 2 – 8% Number fraction: 0.02 – 0.08
Decreased with use of corticosteroids, RA, HIV infx
Increased in malignancy, myeloproliferative
disease, RA and post-operatively; about 50% of
patient with unexpected increase of platelet count
will be found to have a malignancy
Platelet count 150,000 – 450,000/ mm3 0.15 – 0.45 x 1012/L
Decreased in thrombocytopenic purpura, acute
leukemia, aplastic anemia and during cancer
chemotherapy
