| Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or SGPT 0–35 u/L | ↑ in hepatitis, liver disease, bile duct damage, CHF, DM, mono, myopathy |
Albumin/3.5–5.5 g/100 mL | ↓ in chronic liver disease; protein malnutrition, renal disease, malabsorption syndrome, chronic infection, acute stress |
| Aldolase/1.3–8.2 U/L | ↑ in muscle or liver damage or disease |
Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)/33–131 U/L Infants-adolescents <104 U/L Age >61 51–153 | ↑ in liver & bone diseases (obstructive & hepatocellular liver disease), obstructive jaundice, biliary cirrhosis, etc, ↑ in osteomalacia, metastatic bone disease & slight ↑ in healing fractures |
| Alpha-1 antitrypsin 1.5–3.5 g/L | ↓ Indicates ↑ risk of panacinar emphysema at age <50 & liver cirrhosis |
| Ammonia/2–55 μmol/L | ↑ in hepatic encephalopathy & Reye syndrome; tested to evaluate changes in consciousness |
| Amylase/30–100 U/mL | ↑ in acute pancreatitis (first hs, NL in 2–3 d); ↑ for wks/mos w/chronic pancreatitis; ↑ in peritonitis, perforated peptic ulcer, acute intestinal obstruction, mesenteric thrombosis, & inflamm of salivary glands (e.g., mumps) |
| Anion gap/8–16 mEq/L | A calculated value using the results of electrolyte panel ↑ w/metabolic acidosis (e.g., uncontrolled DM, starvation, kidney damage, intake of toxic substances, ↑ aspirin, methanol) ↓ w/↓ albumin or w/↑ immunoglobulins |
| AST, SGOT <35 U/L | ↑ in heart, liver, & skeletal muscle diseases & w/use of some meds ↑ in acute MI, necrosis of heart muscle (myocarditis), acute liver damage, cirrhosis, metastatic CA, obstructive jaundice, infectious mono, congestive hepatomegaly; ↑ in muscle diseases, gangrene of muscle, dermatomyositis, crush injury, & ingestion of aspirin, codeine, & cortisone |
Bilirubin total/<1.0 mg/100 mL | ↑ w/destruction of RBCs: hemolytic diseases, hemorrhage, hepatic dysfunction, transfusion-initiated hemolysis, autoimmune disease |
Brain natriuretic peptide BNP/<100 pg/mL ↑ w/heart failure <500 goal for hospital D/C >700 decompensated heart failure |
| BUN/8–22 mg/100 mL | ↑ w/high protein intake, dehydration, burns, GI hemorrhage, renal disease, prostate hypertrophy ↓ w/low protein ingestion, starvation, liver dysfunction, cirrhosis |
Calcitonin: ♀ 0–5 pg/mL ♂ 0–12 pg/mL | ↑ in C-cell hyperplasia & MTC; used to screen for medullary thyroid cancer. Used to treat osteoporosis or hypercalcemia |
Calcium/8.5–10.5 mg/100 mL | ↑ w/↑ vitamin D intake, osteoporosis, ↓ Na, ↓ urinary excretion, immobilization, ↑ Ca reabsorption, hypothyroidism ↓ w/↓ vitamin D intake, pregnancy, excessive diuretic, starvation ↓ Mg++, acute pancreatitis, hypoalbuminemia |
| Carbon dioxide content/bicarbonate or CO2/24–30 mEq/L | Altered w/electrolyte imbalance; chronic disease, esp. kidney disease; & to evaluate acid-base balance; ↑ indicates alkalotic compensation or disease, ↓ in acidic compensation or metabolic acidosis |
| Chloride 95–105 mEq/L | ↓ w/K+-sparing diuretics, vomiting, excess ingestion of K+ ↑ (rarely) w/diarrhea, NH4Cl ingestion |
| Cholesterol/<200 mg/dL | ↑ Indicates ↑ risk for heart disease |
Cortisol/5–25 μg/100 mL (AM) <10 μg/100 mL (PM) | ↓ in Addison disease & anterior pituitary hypofunction; ↑ Cushing syndrome & stress |
| Creatine: ♂ 0.2–0.5 mg/dL; ♀ 0.3–0.9 mg/dL | ↑ in kidney disease/monitoring of progression of kidney function |
Creatinine kinase <100 U/L CK MB <5% | ↑ in heart or skeletal muscle, progressive muscular dystrophy, ... |