Determining normal reference ranges of laboratory studies in pediatric patients poses some major challenges. Available literature is often limited due to small sample sizes of patients used to derive these suggested reference ranges.
The following values have been compiled from both published literature and the Johns Hopkins Hospital Department of Pathology. Reference range values vary with the analytic method used. Consult your laboratory for its analytic method and range of reference values, and for less commonly used parameters that are beyond the scope of this text. Additional reference laboratory values may be found in Chapter 10 (Endocrinology), Chapter 14 (Hematology), and Chapter 15 (Immunology and Allergy).
Special thanks to Lori Sokoll, PhD, and Nadia Ayala-Lopez, PhD, for their guidance in preparing this chapter.