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Laboratory Test Index

Clinical Manual

Laboratory Test Index

Blood Tests

This section provides valuable information for practitioners who use laboratory tests to assist in diagnosis and treatment. The index offers a guideline on lab tests, reference range, possible diagnosis, and suggested herbal formulas. However, it is important to note that laboratory results do not equate to diagnosis, as one result may indicate multiple possible diagnoses. Furthermore, one diagnosis does not equate to one herbal formula, as any one disease may have significantly different clinical manifestations and may need to be treated differently. Informed professional judgment and careful evaluation must be exercised prior to recommending any herbal formulas to patients.

This index is authored by: Dr. Matt Van Benschoten

Test & Reference Range Result Possible Diagnosis Herbal Formulas Acupuncture

Albumin

3.5–5.5 g/dL

Low due to liver disorders
due to kidney disorders
due to inflammation
or
due to chronic, mild diarrhea

due to acute, severe diarrhea

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)

36–92 U/L

Elevated due to liver disorders, if GGTP is also elevated
due to gallstones
Bone disorders with increased frequency of fractures, if GGTP is normal or low

Aminotransferase, alanine (ALT) [formerly SGOT]

0–35 U/L

Elevated due to liver disorders
due to liver disorders such as fatty liver
due to liver disorders with cholecystitis or cholelithiasis

Aminotransferase, aspartate (AST) [formerly SGPT]

0–35 U/L

Elevated due to liver disorders
due to liver disorders such as fatty liver
due to liver disorders with cholecystitis or cholelithiasis

Antinuclear antibodies (ANA)

≤ 1.0 units

Positive due to autoimmune disease
due to Lupus
with atrophy and damage of tissues and organs
or
with blood stasis
or

Basophils

0-2%

High due to allergy of the nose
or
due to allergy of the skin

Bicarbonate (carbon dioxide)

23–28 mEq/L

Elevated due to lung disorders
or
or
due to adrenal insufficiency
due to acute, severe diarrhea
due to chronic, mild diarrhea
due to kidney disorders

Bilirubin

0–0.3 mg/dL (direct)
0.3–1.2 mg/dL (total)

Elevated

due to liver disorders (cirrhosis, viral hepatitis)

due to liver disorders (gallstones)

BUN

see Urea nitrogen

C-reactive protein (CRP)

< 0.5 mg/dL

>2.4 mg/dL significantly higher risk of coronary event

Calcium

9–10.5 mg/dL

High due to hyperparathyroidism from tumor or low vitamin D levels
due to kidney disorders
due to cancer
Low due to low blood protein levels
with increased risk of osteoporosis

CD4+ T-cell count

640–1175/μL

Low low T-cell count

CD8+ T-cell count

335–875/μL

Low low T-cell count

Chloride

98–106 mEq/L

High due to anemia
due to dehydration from diarrhea
or
due to kidney disorders
Low due to adrenal insufficiency
due to chronic lung disorders (i.e., emphysema)
or
due to acute, severe diarrhea
due to chronic, mild diarrhea
due to ulcerative colitis
due to fever

Occurs with any disorder that causes low blood sodium

see Sodium

Cholesterol

HDL: ≥ 40 mg/dL

<40 mg/dL Dyslipidemia
or
Dyslipidemia with increased risk of heart disease
>130 mg/dL Hyperlipidemia
or
Hyperlipidemia with increased risk of heart disease
>200 mg/dL Hyperlipidemia
or
Hyperlipidemia with increased risk of heart disease
Hyperlipidemia with kidney disorders
Hyperlipidemia with diabetes
Hyperlipidemia with obesity
Hyperlipidemia with hypertension
or
Low due to liver disorders
due to hyperthyroidism
due to anemia
due to stress
or

Complete blood cell count (CBC)

see individual tests

Creatine kinase (CK or CPK)

30–170 U/L

High due to acute heart attack
n/a
due to muscular dystrophy
due to trauma
due to chronic alcoholism

Creatinine

0.7–1.3 mg/dL

Elevated due to kidney damage
due to kidney damage from kidney stones

Electrolytes

see individual tests

Eosinophils

0-7%

High due to allergy of the nose
or
due to allergy of the skin
Low due to bacterial infection

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)

0–20 mm/h (female)
0–15 mm/h (male)

High

Red blood cell (RBC) aggregation [blood stasis]

RBC aggregation due to infection

or

RBC aggregation due to inflammation

or

RBC aggregation due to arthritis

add a Flex formula

RBC aggregation due to nephritis

RBC aggregation due to autoimmune disease

or

RBC aggregation due to inflammatory bowel disease

or

RBC aggregation due to anemia

RBC aggregation due to heavy metal poisoning

Low

Inhibited RBC sedimentation due to polycythemia, leukocytosis, sickle cell anemia

Formula varies depending on TCM diagnosis

Ferritin

15–200 μg/L

High High ferritin due to inflammation
or
High ferritin due to arthritis
or
and other formulas
High ferritin due to liver disorders
High ferritin due to infection
or
Low Low ferritin due to anemia
Low ferritin due to bleeding

Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT or GGTP)

8–78 U/L

High Liver disorders, especially due to alcohol consumption

Glucose

70–105 mg/dL (fasting)
<140 mg/dL (2 hour postprandial)

High

Pre-diabetes (>105) or diabetes (>125)

due to acute stress

or

due to hyperthyroidism

due to chronic liver disorders

Low

due to Addison's disease

due to hypothyroidism

Hematocrit

36–47% (female)
41–51% (male)

High

Dehydration (#1 cause of high hematocrit)

with increased fluid intake
Low

Anemia

Anemia due to bone marrow damage during chemotherapy or radiation

Anemia due to hyperthyroidism

Anemia due to liver disorders

Anemia due to bleeding

followed by Imperial Tonic ™

Hemoglobin

12–16 g/dL (female)
14–17 g/dL (male)

Low Anemia
Anemia due to bone marrow damage during chemotherapy or radiation
Anemia due to kidney disorders
Anemia due to liver disorders
Anemia due to hyperthyroidism
Anemia due to bleeding
followed by Imperial Tonic ™

Lipids

see Cholesterol, Triglycerides

Liver function tests

see individual tests

Lymphocytes

21-49%

High due to viral infection
Low due to diseases that affect the immune system
due to autoimmune disorders

Magnesium

1.5–2.4 mg/dL

High due to hypothyroidism
due to Addison's disease
due to kidney disorders
Low due to kidney disorders
due to thyroid disorders
or
due to acute, severe diarrhea
due to chronic, mild diarrhea
due to excessive urination in diabetes
due to ulcerative colitis

Mean corpuscular volume (MCV)

80–100 fL

High Macrocytic RBC due to liver disorders
Low Microcytic RBC due to blood loss

Monocyte

0-14%

High due to inflammatory conditions
or

Neutrophils

38-70%

High due to bacterial infection
due to inflammatory conditions
or
Low due to chemotherapy or radiation therapy

Platelet count

150–350 x 103 /μL

High due to cardiovascular and circulatory diseases
or
or
due to cancer
or
due to trauma
due to arthritis
or
or others
due to infection
or
Low low platelet count
with risks of bleeding and bruising
due to autoimmune disorders
due to chemotherapy or radiation therapy
due to kidney disorders
due to allergy of the nose
or
due to allergy of the skin
due to exposure to chemicals, toxins, or drugs
due to infection
or
due to bone marrow damage

Potassium

3.5–5 mEq/L

High due to kidney disorders
due to adrenal insufficiency
due to infection
or
due to diabetes
due to chemotherapy
Low due to acute, severe diarrhea
due to chronic, mild diarrhea
due to liver disorders
due to chronic stress
or
or
due to fever

Prostate-specific antigen, total (PSA-T)

0–4 ng/mL

High due to enlarged prostate

Protein, total

6–7.8 g/dL

High due to chronic inflammation
or
due to autoimmune disease
due to rheumatoid arthritis
or
or
due to chronic infection
or
due to hepatitis or acute liver disorders
Low due to liver disorders
due to kidney disorders
Malabsorption due to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Malabsorption due to weakened digestive system
due to hemorrhage
due to acute, severe diarrhea
due to chronic, mild diarrhea

Red blood cell (RBC) count

4.2–5.9 x 106 cells/μL

High Lung disorders
or
or
Coronary artery conditions
or
Poisoning
Low Anemia
Anemia due to chemotherapy or radiation
Anemia due to bone marrow damage
Anemia due to chronic inflammatory conditions
Anemia due to kidney disorders
Anemia due to trauma
Anemia due to bleeding
followed by Imperial Tonic

Sequential multiple analyzer (SMA-6, 12, 20)

see individual tests

SGOT

see Aminotransferase, alanine (ALT)

SGPT

see Aminotransferase, aspartate (AST)

Sodium

136–145 mEq/L

High due to frequent urination in diabetes
Low due to adrenal insufficiency
due to acute, severe diarrhea
due to chronic, mild diarrhea
excessive fluid accumulation due to liver disorders (cirrhosis)
excessive fluid accumulation due to kidney disorders

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)

0.5–5.0 μIU/mL

High Hypothyroidism with high TSH and low T3 and T4
Low Hyperthyroidism with low TSH and high T3 and T4

Thyroxine (T4 )

0.9–2.4 ng/dL (free)
4–11 μg/dL (free index)
5–12 μg/dL (total)

High Hyperthyroidism with low TSH and high T3 and T4
Hypothyroidism with high TSH and low T3 and T4

Triglycerides

< 250 mg/dL

Elevated Hypertriglyceridemia
or
due to obesity
with diabetes
due to hypothyroidism
with increased risk of heart disease

Triiodothyronine (T3 )

25–35% (uptake)
70–195 ng/dL (total)

High

Hyperthyroidism with low TSH and high T3 and T4

Low

Hypothyroidism with high TSH and low T3 and T4

Urea nitrogen (BUN)

8–20 mg/dL

Elevated due to acute or chronic kidney disease, damage, failure
due to kidney damage from kidney stones
due to kidney damages from diabetes
due to kidney damages from chronic gout
due to gastrointestinal bleeding
due to infection
or
decreased blood flow to kidneys due to cardiovascular conditions
Low due to liver failure

Uric acid

2.5–8 mg/dL

Elevated due to gout
due to recurring kidney stones
due to kidney disorders
due to chemotherapy
due to lead poisoning

White blood cell (WBC) count

3.9–10.7 x 103 cells/μL

High due to bacterial infection
due to inflammation
or
due to stress
or
due to hemorrhage
due to trauma
due to cancer
or
due to accumulation of toxins, chemicals, or drugs
due to allergy of the nose
or
due to allergy of the skin
due to hepatitis
due to heavy metal toxicities
Low due to viral infection
with weaken immune system
due to chemotherapy or radiation therapy
or
due to bone marrow damage
due to heavy metal toxicities
due to alcoholism
due to diabetes
due to autoimmune disorders