ANALYTE

AGE RANGE

CRITICAL VALUE

UNITS

Anion Gap

Any age

>30

mmol/L

Calcium *

Any age

<6.5
>13

mg/dL

Calcium, Free (ionized) *

Any age

<0.8
>1.6

mmol/L

Chloride

Any age

<80
>120

mmol/L

CO₂

Any age

<10
>40

mmol/L

CO Hemoglobin

Any age

>20

%

Any age

≥350

ug/dL

0-2 days
>2 days & <1 year
>1 year

<35
<40
<55

mg/dL

<30 days
>30 days & <17 yrs
>17 yrs

>200
>300
>450

mg/dL

Magnesium

Any age

<1.0
>3.5

mg/dL

pCO₂

Any age

>65

mmHg

pH

Any age

<7.2
>7.6

pH units

<3 years of age
3-12 years of age
>12 years of age

≤2.5
≤2.0
≤1.5

mg/dL

pO₂

Any age

<50

mmHg

Potassium

<1 week of age
>1 week of age
Any age

<2.5
<3.0
>6.0

mmol/L

Sodium

Any age
Any age

<125
>160

mmol/L

Total Bilirubin

<1 day
>1 day <2 days
>2 days <30 days

≥8
≥13
≥15

mg/dL

Troponin 1

Any age

≥0.3

ng/mL

ANALYTE

AGE RANGE

CRITICAL VALUE

UNITS

Fibrinogen

Any age

<100

mg/dL

Any age

<0.1
>0.7

IU/mL
IU/mL

PTT

Any age

≥100

sec

PT INR

Any age

>5.0 INR

ANALYTE

AGE RANGE

CRITICAL VALUE

UNITS

Absolute Neutrophil Count

Any age

≤0.5 (Outpatient only)

K/µL

Cell Count, Any body fluid

Any age

Intracellular organisms. (Non CSF- Blasts and Tumor cells to be called as soon as a provider is available, which for inpatients is immediate, for others called next business day.)

Cell Count, CSF only

Any age

WBC Count >30
(excluding peripheral blood contamination)

/µL

Cell Count, CSF only

Any age

Blasts or Tumor Cells

Hematocrit (PCV)

Any age

≤21.0
≥65.0

%

Hemoglobin

Any age

≤7.0

g/dL

Platelet Count

Any age

≤10,000
≤50,000 (L&D only)
≤100,000 with 2+ microangiopathic changes

/µL

Slide Review/Diff

Any age

Presence of intracellular organisms.
Blasts on peripheral smear (1st time or relapse only).

% 

WBC

Any age

≤0.5 (Outpatient only)
≥50  (except CLL)

K/µL

ANALYTE

AGE RANGE

CRITICAL VALUE

UNITS

Any assay: Potential Bioterrorism Agent

Any age

Presence of potential B. anthracis

Bacillus anthracis (Category A)
Francisella tularensis (Category A)
Yersinia pestis (Category A)
Brucella species (Category B)

Blood Culture

Any age

Any clinically important positive result per protocol

Stool culture

<18 years

Presence of possible E. coli O157

ANALYTE

AGE RANGE

CRITICAL VALUE

UNITS

Antigen test, culture, serology, or molecular test

Any age

Positive or suspicious for H5N1 Influenza, any Pandemic or Bioterrorism Agents (Smallpox, Viral hemorrhagic fever agents)

Any CSF Assay

Any age

Positive (virus growth)

Positive

AGE RANGE

CRITICAL VALUE

UNITS

Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Pediatric (and ED)

Positive

N/A

AGE RANGE

CRITICAL VALUE

UNITS

Antibody screen

Any age

Positive

N/A

Antibody Titer

Prenatal

Two-fold increase

N/A

AGE RANGE

CRITICAL VALUE

Any specimen

Any age

Uncommon or unusual infections in immunocompetent or immunocompromised or tissue- invasive infections in immunocompromised patients

Any specimen

Any age

Unsuspected neoplasms or clinical significant change in diagnosis rendered at the time of Frozen Section following review of FS (frozen section) slides or permanent sections

Any age

A significant disagreement and/or change in the diagnosis between a pathologist at a referring or consultative institution and the responsible pathologist at SHC/LPCH will be documented

D&C specimens

Any age

Absence of chorionic villi or trophoblastic elements

Any age

Presence of mesothelial cells

Endoscopic polypectomy or mucosal biopsies or endometrial biopsies

Any age

Presence of fat

Fine needle aspirations

Any age

Significant disagreement between immediate interpretation and final FNA (Fine Needle Aspiration) diagnosis