Critical Values in Clinical Chemistry

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Critical Values in Clinical Chemistry

*NOTE: PLEASE REFER TO THE PATHOLOGIST WHEN THE FOLLOWING


RESULTS ARE OBTAINED.
ANALYTES LOW HIGH
S.I UNIT CONV. UNIT S.I UNIT CONV. UNIT
AMYLASE NONE NONE >200 U/L NONE
BILIRUBIN, TOTAL (NEWBORN) NONE NONE >255 mmol/L 15 meq/L
CALCIUM <1.5 mmol/L 6 meq/L >3.25 mmol/L 13.0 meq/L
CHLORIDE <80 mmol/L 80 meq/L >115 mmol/L 115 meq/L
CK NONE NONE >3-5x normal
upper limit
CK-MB NONE NONE >5% or >10
ug/dL
CREATININE except in dialysis NONE NONE >0.442 mmol/L >5 mg/dL
patients.
GLUCOSE <2.2 mmol/L 40 mg/dL >24.75 mmol/L 450 mg/dL
GLUCOSE (NEWBORN) <1.65 mmol/L 30 mg/dL >16.5 mmol/L 300 mg/dL
MAGNESIUM <0.05 mmol/L 1.0 mg/dL >2.35 mmol/L 4.7 mg/dL
POTASSIUM <2.8 mmol/L 2.8 meq/L >6.2 mmol/L 6.2 meq/L
POTASSIUM (NEWBORN) <2.5 mmol/L 2.5 meq/L >8 mmol/L 8 meq/L
SODIUM <120 mmol/L 120 meq/L >160 mmol/L 160 meq/L
BUN except in dialysis patients 0.714 mmol/L 2 mg/dL >28.56 mmol/L 80 mg/dL
Serum CHOLESTEROL NONE NONE >7.74 mmol/L >300 mg/dL
Serum TOTAL PROTEIN NONE NONE >90 grams/L 90 mg/dL
Critical Values in Hematology

*NOTE: PLEASE REFER TO THE PATHOLOGIST WHEN THE FOLLOWING


RESULTS ARE OBTAINED.

Hematology Low High


1. Hematocrit <20 vol% <60 vol%
2. Hemoglobin <7 gm/dL >20 gm/dL
3. Platelet Count (Adult) <40,000/cu mm >1,000,000/cu mm
4. Platelet Count (pedia) <20,000/cu mm >1,000,000/cu mm
5. WBC <2,000/cu mm >30,000/cu mm
6. Presence of blast and sickle cells
7. New diagnosis of leukemia, sickle cell anemia, aplastic crises
8. Prothrombin time -- INR: >5.0 sec *
9. Partial thromboplastin time -- INR: >120 sec*
10. Peripheral blood smears with atypical lymphocytes and/or plasma cells.

.
Critical Values in Clinical Microscopy

*NOTE: PLEASE REFER TO THE PATHOLOGIST WHEN THE FOLLOWING


RESULTS ARE OBTAINED.

Urinalysis
1. Strongly positive test for ketone
2. Presence of reducing sugars in infants
3. Presence of pathological crystals (cysteine, leucine, tyrosine)

CSF Low High


1. Glucose < 80% of blood level --
2. Protein, total None >45 mg/dL
3. Positive GS or AFB stain, culture or India ink preparation\
4. WBC in CSF None >10/ cu mm
5. Presence of malignant cells or blasts in any other body fluid.

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