Laboratory reference ranges reflect methods, populations, and policies, and experienced clinicians interpret them in context rather than applying fixed cutoffs theoretically.

Labs calculate normal by testing everyone who walks through the door, including patients with undiagnosed conditions and chronic diseases. The middle 95 percent becomes the reference range, whether ...

DEAR DOCTOR K: Last week I received the results of some recent blood work. A few of my values fell just outside the normal range. My doctor says it’s fine, but I’m still worried. Do I need to be? DEAR ...

Run-of-the mill? Middle of the road? Typical? The chance that you are correct is vanishingly small. If you're a clinician, like me, you get a LOT of medical questions. While we've all been asked to ...