MEDICAL DECISION LEVELS

These figures are quoted from Statland BE. Clinical Decision Levels for Laboratory Tests, Second Edition [Oradell NJ;Medical Economics Books, 1987.] with permission.

Electrolytes
Metabolites
Proteins and Enzymes
Hormones
Hematology related tests
Drugs

Test	Units	Reference Interval	Decision Levels
ELECTROLYTES			1	2	3	4	5
Calcium	mg/dL	9.0-10.6	7.0	11.0	13.5
Chloride	mmol/L	98-109	90	112
CO₂ Content	mmol/L	23-30	6.0	20	33
Magnesium	mEq/L	1.2-2.4	1.2	2.0	5.0
	mmol/L	0.6-1.2	0.6	1.0	2.5
Phosphorus	mg/dL	2.5-5.0	1.5	2.5	5.0
Potassium	mmol/L	3.7-5.1	3.0	5.8	7.5
Sodium	mmol/L	138-146	115	135	150

Test	Units	Reference Interval	Decision Levels
METABOLITES			1	2	3	4	5
Bilirubin	mg/dL	0.1-1.2	1.4	2.5	20
Cholesterol	mg/dL	150-275	90	240	260	350
Creatinine	mg/dL	0.7-1.5	0.6	1.6	6.0
Glucose	mg/dL	60-95	45	120	180
Iron	ug/dL	50-165	50	220	400
Triglycerides	mg/dL	20-180	40	150	400
Urea Nitrogen (BUN)	mg/dL	8-26	6	26	50
Uric acid	mg/dL	2.5-7.0	2.0	8.0	10.7

Test	Units	Reference Interval	Decision Levels
PROTEINS and ENZYMES			1	2	3	4	5
Alanine aminotransferase	U/L	5-40	20	60	300
Albumin	g/dL	3.5-5.0	2.0	3.5	5.2
Alkaline phosphatase	U/L	35-120	50	150	400
Amylase	Somogyi U	60-180	50	120	200
Aspartate aminotransferase	U/L	8-40	20	60	300
Carcinoembryonic antigen	ng/mL	<2.5	2.5	10	20
Creatine kinase	U/L	10-180	100	240	1800
Glutamyl transferase	U/L	5-40	20	50	150
Lactate dehydrogenase	U/L	60-220	150	300	500
Total protein	g/dL	6.0-8.0	4.5	6.0	8.0

Test	Units	Reference Interval	Decision Levels
HORMONES			1	2	3	4	5
Cortisol in plasma	ug/dL	7-20 @8am	5	10	18	25
Cortisol (Free) in urine	ug/24 hrs	20-90	50	100
Follicle-stimulating hormone	mIU/mL	2-15 Adult M	1	35	60
Follicular phase, Luteal phase		3-15 Adult F
17-Hydroxycorticosteroids	mg/24 hrs	3-10	3	15	20
17-Ketosteroids in urine	mg/24 hrs	8-20 Adult M	20	25	40
		5-15 Adult F
Luteinizing hormone	mIUL/mL	5-25 Adult M	1	50	100
Follicular phase		5-30 Adult F
Metanephrine in urine	mg/24 hrs	<1.3	1.3	2.5
Prolactin	ng/mL	1-20 M	30	100	300
		1-25 F
Thyroxine	ug/dL	5.5-12.5	5	7	10	14
Vanillymandelic acid in urine	mg/24 hrs	<6.8	6.8	13

Test	Units	Reference Interval	Decision Levels
HEMATOLOGY RELATED TESTS			1	2	3	4	5
Antithrombin-III	% of normal	80-120	50	75
Bleeding Time	min	2.3-9.2	10	15
Fibrinogen in plasma	mg/dL	200-400	30	100	500
Folate in serum	ng/mL	2-15	1.5	4.0
Hematocrit	L/L	0.43-0.51 M	0.14	0.33	0.56	0.70
		0.38-0.46 F
Hemoglobin	g/dL	14-17.8 M	4.5	10.5	17	23
		12-15.6 F
Mean corpuscular volume	fL (cu u)	84-96	80	100
Partial thromboplastin time	sec	30	35	45	90
Plasminogen	%	80-120	50	75	135
Platelet count	K/uL	150-400	10	50	100	600	1000
Prothrombin time	sec	11.5	14	16	30
Vitamin B₁₂	pg/mL	200-900	170	250	1200
White blood cell count	K/uL	4-11	0.5	3	12	30

Test	Units	Theraputic Range	Decision Levels
DRUGS			1	2	3	4	5
Amikacin	ug/mL	20-30 (peak)	10	20	32
		1-8 (trough)
Carbamazepine	ug/mL	4-12	4	9	14
Digoxin	ug/mL	0.9-2.0	1.0	1.6	2.5
Disopyramide	ug/mL	2.5-5.0	2.5	4.5	7.0
Ethosuximide	ug/mL	50-100	50	120
Gentamicin	ug/mL	6-10 (peak)	0.5	2	6	12
		0.5-1.5 (trough)
Kanamycin	ug/mL	20-30 (peak)	10	20	32
		1-8 (trough)
Lidocaine	ug/mL	1.5-5.0	1.5	5.0	7.0
Lithium	mmol/L	0.5-1.2	0.4	0.8	1.5
Phenobarbital	ug/mL	15-40	15	30	60	120
Phenytoin	ug/mL	10-20	10	20	50
Primidone	ug/mL	5-12	5	9	12
Procainamide	ug/mL	4-10	4	12	16
Quinidine	ug/mL	2-5	2	5	7
Salicylates	ug/mL	150-300	150	300	500
Theophylline	ug/mL	10-20 asthma	10	20	35	60
		5-10 neonatal apnea
Tobramycin	ug/mL	6-10 (peak)	0.5	2	6	12
		0.5-1.5 (trough)
Valproic acid	ug/mL	50-100	50	90	120