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Critical Values for Infants (<12 Months)

Laboratory values in the critical range will be reported by telephone immediately.

On inpatients, the laboratory will attempt to phone the physician first; however, if the physician listed as the ordering physician is incorrect or does not respond within 10 minutes, the patient’s nurse will be notified.

Results will be reported only to a physician or nurse unless the location of the patient is in the recovery room, operating room, or labor and delivery and a physician or nurse cannot come to the phone.

Critical value laboratory test results will be phoned immediately to non-UC Irvine Pathology Referral Services clients. These results can be released to a clinical laboratory scientist at the referral client location when the ordering physician is unavailable.

The urgency of the contact will be emphasized to the individual accepting the phoned report, as well as the importance of contacting the appropriate physician.

Inability to contact the requesting physician, clinic, or office after two attempts will be followed up with an attempt to reach the pathology resident on call, the clinical pathology attending on call, or the director of the specific laboratory section in which the laboratory results occurred.

 

Test Critical Low Value Critical High Value 
Albumin  <2.0 g/dL  -----
ALT (SGPT)    >100 IU/L
Ammonia    >100 mcmol/L
Ammonia Nitrogen (arterial)  -----  >150 ug/dL
Bicarbonate  <14 mmol/L  >35 mmol/L
Bilirubin, direct  -----  >1.5 mg/dL
Bilirubin, micro:    1 day: >6 mg/dL
 2 days:>10 mg/dL
 5 days-12 mos: >15 mg/dL
Bilirubin, Total  -----  >15 mg/dL
Blood culture  -----  Positive
Calcium, plasma  <6.5 mg/dL  >12 mg/dL
Calcium, ionized

 Birth to 1 month:
 <0.95 mmol/L

 >1 month to ≤12 months old:
 <0.87 mmol/L

 >1 month to ≤12 months:
 >1.5 mmol/L
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)  <12 mEq/L  -----
Chloride  <80 mEq/L  >117 mEq/L
COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2)  -----  Detected
Creatinine  -----  >2.0 mg/dL
Creatine phosphokinase (CK)  -----  >1,200 U/L
CSF, culture or Gram stain  -----  Positive
ESR (Ophthalmology) TOPHT, TEYES, ZOPHT  -----  >10 mm/hr
Fibrinogen  <100mg/dL  -----
Gamma-Glutamyl Trans (GGT):  -----  >300 U/L
Glucose (Blood)  <45 mg/dL  >250 mg/dL
Hemoglobin  <7.0 gm/dL  >22.0 gm/dL
Hematocrit  <21%  >65%
Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)  -----  >3,000 U/L
Lactic acid, plasma:    >3.0 mmol/L
Lead  -----  ≥3.5 mcg/dL
Low Molecular Weight Heparin (LMWH)  -----  ≥2.0 IU/mL
Magnesium (blood)  <1.2 mg/dL  >3.0 mg/dL
Metabolic Error Screen  -----  any positive
Nucleated cells (CSF)  -----  > 5 cells present
Osmolality  -----  > 300 mOsm/L
Base Excess Neonates (arterial or capillary)  <-10 mEq/L  -----
pH  <7.25  >7.60
pCO2  -----  >75 mm Hg
pO2  <50 mm Hg  >100 mm Hg
Phosphorus  <3 mg/dL  >8 mg/dL
Platelet Count  ≤50,000 /mm3  >1,000,000 /mm3
Prothrombin Time (PT)  -----  >4.0 INR
Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT)  -----  ≥90.0 seconds
Sodium  <125 mEq/dL  >150 mEq/dL
Unfractionated Heparin  -----  ≥0.8 IU/mL
Urea Nitrogen  -----  >60 mg/dL
Uric acid  -----  >12 mg/dL
WBC Peripheral Blood  ≤2,000 /mm3  ≥35,000 /mm3
% Bands  -----  >25 %
Therapeutic Drug Levels
Acetaminophen  -----  >150 mcg/mL
Amikacin  -----  Peak: >30.0 mcg/mL
 Trough: >10.0 mcg/mL
Carbamazepine  -----  >15.0 mcg/mL
Cyclosporin  -----  >450 ng/mL
Digoxin  -----  >2.1 ng/mL
Dilantin  -----  >20.0 mcg/mL
Gentamicin  -----  Peak:  >12.0 mcg/mL
 Trough: >2.0 mcg/mL
Lithium  -----  >1.5 mEq/L
Phenobarbital  -----  >50 mcg/mL
Salicylate  -----  >30 mg/mL
Sirolimus  -----

 >25 ng/mL: Liver Transplantation
 >15 ng/mL: Renal transplantation

Tacrolimus  -----  >7.5 ng/mL
Theophylline  -----  >20.0 mcg/mL
Tobramycin  -----  Peak:  >12.0 mcg/mL
 Trough: >2.0 mcg/mL
Valproic acid  -----  >120 mcg/mL
Vancomycin  -----  Peak: > 60.0 mcg/mL
 Trough: <5.0 mcg/mL or >15.0 mcg/mL