Alcohol

 legal limit (UK)

B or P

<17.4 mmol/l

Albumin

P

35–50 g/l

 in pregnancy

P

25–38 g/l

Ammonia

B

<40 μmol/l

α-Amylase

P

25–180 somogyi units/dl

Anion gap (Na⁺ + K⁺) − (HCO₃⁻ + Cl⁻)

P

12–16 mmol/l

Bilirubin

P

3–17 μmol/l

Bicarbonate (see also Table 1.2)

P

22–28 mmol/l

Calcium

 ionized

P

1.0–1.25 mmol/l

 total

P

2.12–2.65 mmol/l

 total in pregnancy

P

1.95–2.35 mmol/l

Chloride

P

95–105 mmol/l

Cholesterol (see also Table 1.7)

P

3.9–7.8 mmol/l

Copper

P

12–26 μmol/l

Creatinine

P

70–150 μmol/l

 in pregnancy

P

24–68 μmol/l

Digoxin

 children

P

2.0–3.0 nmol/l

 adults

P

1.0–2.0 nmol/l

Glucose (fasting)

P

3.0–5.0 mmol/l

Glycated haemoglobin (HbA_1C)

B

5–8%

Iron

 male

S

14–31 μmol/l

 female

S

11–30 μmol/l

 total iron-binding capacity (TIBC)

S

45–75 μmol/l

Lactate

 venous

B

0.5–2.2 mmol/l

 arterial

B

0.5–1.6 mmol/l

Magnesium

P

0.75–1.05 mmol/l

Osmolality

P

278–305 mosm/kg

Phosphate (inorganic)

P

0.8–1.45 mmol/l

Potassium

P

3.5–5.0 mmol/l

Protein (total)

P

60–80 g/l

Sodium

P

135–145 mmol/l

Urea

P

2.5–6.7 mmol/l

 in pregnancy

P

2.0–4.2 mmol/l

Urea nitrogen (BUN)

P

1.16–3.12 mmol/l

Uric acid

 male

P

210–480 μmol/l

 female

P

150–390 μmol/l

 in pregnancy

P

100–270 μmol/l

Zinc

P

6–25 μmol/l

Arterial CO₂ (P_aco₂)

4.7–6.0 kPa

Mixed venous CO₂ (P_vco₂)

5.5–6.8 kPa

Arterial oxygen (P_ao₂)

12.0–14.5 kPa

Mixed venous oxygen (P_vo₂)

4.0–6.0 kPa

Newborn arterial oxygen

5.3–8.0 kPa

H⁺ ion activity

36–44 nmol/l

Arterial pH

7.35–7.45 pH units

Bicarbonate

 arterial – whole blood

19–24 mmol/l

 venous – plasma

22–28 mmol/l

 cord blood

14–22 mmol/l

Base excess

± 2 mmol/l

Carboxyhaemoglobin

 non-smoker

<2%

 smoker

3–15%

 toxic at:

>15%

 coma at:

>50%

Acid phosphatase

 total

S

1–5 U/l

 prostatic

S

0–1 U/l

Alkaline phosphatase

P

80–250 U/l

Alanine aminotransferase (ALT)

P

5–35 U/l

α-Amylase

P

25–180 somogyi units/dl

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)

S

21–54 U/l

Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)

P

15–42 U/l

Creatine kinase (CK)

 male

P

24–195 U/l

 female

P

24–170 U/l

Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT)

 male

P

11–51 U/l

 female

P

7–35 U/l

Lactate dehydrogenase (total)

P

240–525 U/l

Adrenaline (epinephrine)

P

0.03–1.31 nmol/l

ACTH

P

3.3–15.4 pmol/l

Aldosterone

 recumbent

P

100–450 pmol/l

 midday

P

2-fold increase of recumbent level

Angiotensin II

P

5–35 pmol/l

Antidiuretic hormone (ADH)

P

0.9–4.6 pmol/l

Calcitonin

 male

P

<100 nmol/l

 female

P

<30 nmol/l

Cortisol

 00.00 h

P

80–280 nmol/l

 09.00 h

P

280–700 nmol/l

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)

  follicular phase

P or S

0.5–5.0 U/l

  ovulatory peak

P or S

8–15 U/l

  luteal phase

P or S

2–8 U/l

  postmenopause

P or S

> 30 U/l

  male

P or S

0.5–5.0 U/l

Gastrin

 male + female (>60 yr)

P

<50 pmol/l

 female (16–60 yr)

P

<38 pmol/l

Glucagon

P

<50 pmol/l

Growth hormone

P

<20 mU/l

Human chorionic gonadotrophin

S

<5 U/l

Insulin (fasting)

P

<15 mU/l

Insulin C-peptide (fasting)

P

<0.4 nmol/l (undetectable in hypoglycaemia)

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF- 1)

P

0.52–3.4 kU/l

Luteinizing hormone

 premenopausal

P or S

6–13 U/l

 follicular phase

P or S

3–12 U/l

 ovulatory peak

P or S

20–80 U/l

 luteal phase

P or S

3–16 U/l

 postmenopause

P or S

>30 U/l

 male

P or S

3–8 U/l

Noradrenaline

P

0.47–4.14 mmol/l

17-β-oestradiol

 follicular phase

P

75–260 pmol/l

 mid-cycle

P

370–1470 pmol/l

 luteal phase

P

180–1100 pmol/l

 male

P

<220 pmol/l

Parathyroid hormone (intact)

P

0.9–5.4 pmol/l

Pancreatic polypeptide

P

<200 pmol/l

Progesterone

 male

P

<5 nmol/l

 female postovulation

P

15–77 nmol/l

 follicular (newborn)

P

<3 nmol/l

17-Hydroxyprogesterone

P

7–16 nmol/l

Prolactin

 male

P

<450 U/l

 female

P

<600 U/l

Renin activity

P

 recumbent

1.1–2.7 pmol/ml per hr

 erect after 30 min

3.0–4.3 pmol/ml per hr

Somatostatin

P

30–166 pmol/l

Testosterone

 male

P or S

9–42 nmol/l

 female

P or S

1–2.5 nmol/l

Thyroid-stimulating hormone

P

0.5–5.5 mU/l

Thyroid-binding globulin

P

13–28 mg/l

Tri-iodothyronine (T₃)

P

1–3 nmol/l

 Free T₃

P

3.3–8.2 pmol/l

Thyroxine (T₄)

P

70–140 nmol/l

 Free T₄

P

9–25 pmol/l

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)

P

<30 pmol/l

Albumin

P

35–50 g/l

α₁-Antitrypsin

S

107–209 mg/l

Complement

 C3

65–190 mg/dl

 C4

15–50 mg/dl

Caeruloplasmin

S

16–60 mg/dl

C1 esterase inhibitor

S

15–35 mg/dl

C-reactive protein (CRP)

S

<10 mg/l

Ferritin

S

14–200 μg/l

Fibrinogen

P

2–4 g/l

d-dimer

S

<500 μg/l

Haptoglobins

S

0.6–2.6 g/l

Immunoglobulins

 IgG

S

6.0–13.0 g/l

 IgA

S

0.8–3.0 g/l

 IgM

S

0.4–2.5 g/l

 IgE

S

<120 kU/l

β₂-Microglobulin

S

<3 mg/l

Thyroid microsomal antibodies

 male

S

<1/400

 female (<44 yr)

S

<1/400

 female (>44 yr)

S

<1/6400

Total protein

P

60–80 g/l

β₁-Transferrin

S

1.2–2.0 g/l

Alkaline phosphatase

P

 <1 year

30–250 IU/l

 1–14 years

150–570 IU/l

 >14 years

80–250 IU/l

Ammonia

P

 newborn

64–107 μmol/l

 0–2 weeks

56–92 μmol/l

 >1 month

21–50 μmol/l

Aspartate aminotransferase

P

 1–3 years

20–60 IU/l

 4–6 years

15–50 IU/l

Bicarbonate

P

 infants

18–22 mmol/l

 older children

20–26 mmol/l

Bilirubin

P

 first week of life

100–200 μmol/l (total)

 after first week of life

2–14 μmol/l (total)

 and throughout childhood

0–0.4 μmol/l (direct)

Calcium

P

 1–3 weeks

1.9–2.85 mmol/l

 3 weeks and above

2.12–2.65 mmol/l

β-Carotene

S

 <1 year (upper limit falls with age up to 3½ years)

1.3–6.3 μmol/l

 3½ years onwards

1.9–2.8 μmol/l

Creatinine

P

 cord blood

57–100 μmol/l

 2 weeks–6 years

33–61 μmol/l

 6 years–10 years

39–70 μmol/l

 >12 years

49–81 μmol/l

Creatinine clearance

P

 3–13 years

94–142 ml/min per 1.73m²

Creatine kinase (CK)

P

 neonates

75–400 U/l

 infants 3–12 months

10–145 U/l

 children 1–15 years

15–130 U/l

Glucose (fasting)

S

 cord

2.5–5.3 mmol/l

 premature/low birth wt

1.1–3.3 mmol/l

 neonates

1.67–3.3 mmol/l

 1 day

2.2–3.3 mmol/l

 1–7 days

2.8–4.6 mmol/l

 >7 days

3.3–5.5 mmol/l

Total protein

P

 1st month

51 g/l (mean)

 1st year

61 g/l (mean)

 1–6 years

61–78 g/l

 7–16 years

66–82 g/l

Immunoglobulins

 IgG

S

  cord

5.2–18.0 g/l

  0–2 weeks

5.0–17.0 g/l

  2–6 weeks

3.9–13.0 g/l

  6–12 weeks

2.1–7.7 g/l

  3–6 months

2.4–8.8 g/l

  6–9 months

3.0–9.0 g/l

  9–12 months

3.0–10.9 g/l

  1–2 years

3.1–13.8 g/l

  2–3 years

3.7–15.8 g/l

  3–6 years

4.9–16.1 g/l

  6–9 years

5.4–16.1 g/l

  9–12 years

5.4–16.1 g/l

  12–15 years

5.4–16.1 g/l

 IgA

S

  cord

0.00–0.02 g/l

  0–2 weeks

0.01–0.08 g/l

  2–6 weeks

0.02–0.15 g/l

  6–12 weeks

0.05–0.4 g/l

  3–6 months

0.1–0.5 g/l

  6–9 months

0.15–0.7 g/l

  9–12 months

0.20–0.7 g/l

  1–2 years

0.3–1.2 g/l

  2–3 years

0.3–1.3 g/l

  3–6 years

0.4–2.0 g/l

  6–9 years

0.5–2.4 g/l

  9–12 years

0.8–2.8 g/l

  12–15 years

0.8–2.8 g/l

IgM

S

  cord

0.02–0.2 g/l

  0–2 weeks

0.05–0.2 g/l

  2–6 weeks

0.08–0.4 g/l

  6–12 weeks

0.15–0.7 g/l

  3–6 months

0.20–1.0 g/l

  6–9 months

0.40–1.6 g/l

  9–12 months

0.60–2.1 g/l

  1–2 years

0.50–2.2 g/l

  2–3 years

0.50–2.2 g/l

  3–6 years

0.50–2.0 g/l

  6–9 years

0.50–1.8 g/l

  9–12 years

0.50–1.9 g/l

  12–15 years

0.50–1.9 g/l

Lactate

P (venous)

0.5–2.2 mmol/l

P (arterial)

0.5–1.6 mmol/l

B

0.5–1.7 mmol/l

Phosphate (inorganic)

P

 newborn

1.20–2.78 mmol/l

 young children

1.29–1.78 mmol/l

 girls 15 years

0.9–1.38 mmol/l

 boys 17 years

0.83–1.49 mmol/l

Potassium

P

 newborn

up to 6.6 mmol/l

 >1 month–6 years

4.1–5.6 mmol/l

 boys 7–16 years

3.3–4.7 mmol/l

 girls 7–16 years

3.4–4.5 mmol/l

Sweat sodium

10–40 mmol/l

Sweat chloride

0–50 mmol/l

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) (outside neonatal period)

S

0.5–5.0 mU/l

Uric acid

P

 childhood

0.06–0.24 mmol/l

 boys 16 years

0.23–0.46 mmol/l

 girls 16 years

0.19–0.36 mmol/l

Cholesterol

P

3.9–7.8 mmol/l

 ideal upper limit

5.2 mmol/l

 acceptable upper limit

6.5 mmol/l

Triglyceride (fasting)

P

0.55–1.90 mmol/l

Nonesterified (free) fatty acids (NEFA)

S

  male

0.19–0.78 mmol/l

  female

0.06–0.9 mmol/l

Lipoproteins (as cholesterol)

 low-density (LDL)

S

1.55–4.4 mmol/l

  ideal upper limit

3.4 mmol/l

  acceptable upper limit

4.2 mmol/l

 high density (HDL)

S

0.8–2.0 mmol/l

  ideal (male)

>0.9 mmol/l

  ideal (female)

>1.2 mmol/l

Total cholesterol/HDL

S

  ideal

<5 ratio

Vitamin A

 retinol

S

  male

1.06–3.35 μmol/l

  female

0.84–2.95 μmol/l

 β-carotene

S

  male

0.01–6.52 μmol/l

  female

0.019–2.93 μmol/l

Vitamin B

 Thiamin (B₁)

P

>40 nmol/l

 Riboflavin (B₂)

S

100–630 nmol/l

 Pyridoxine (B₆)

P (EDTA)

20–120 nmol/l

 Vitamin B₁₂

S

138–780 nmol/l

Folate

S

12–33 μmol/l

 red blood cell folate

B

500–1300 μmol/l

Vitamin D metabolites

 25-(OH) D

S

17–125 nmol/l

 1,25-(OH)₂ D₃

S

50–120 pmol/l

Vitamin E (α- tocopherol)

S

11.5–35 μmol/l