Adapted from Fischbach,F A Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests, 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA, Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins
Laboratory Assessment of Nutritional Status: Bridging Theory & Practice uses a variety of standard abbreviations and units of measurement listed in Table 3. Many organizations are moving away from the use of lower case Greek letters such as μ for micro to avoid miscommunication. Please note that your institutional policy on standard abbreviations and units of measurement may vary.
Table 3. Abbreviations & Units of Measurement
| Abbreviation | Definition | Abbreviation | Definition |
| < | Less than | kg H2O | Kilogram of water |
| < | Less than or equal to | L | Liter |
| > | Greater than | m | Meter |
| > | Greater than or equal to | m2 | Square meter |
| AU | Arbitrary units | m3 | Cubic meter |
| C | Celsius | mcg | Microgram |
| cc | Cubic centimeter | μmol | Micromole |
| cg | Centigram | mEq | Milliequivalent |
| cm | Centimeter | mEq/L | Milliequivalent per liter |
| cm H2O | Centimeter of water | mg | Milligram |
| cu | Cubic | min | Minute |
| dL | Deciliter (100 mL) | mL | Milliliter |
| fl | Femtoliter | mm | Millimeter |
| fmol | Femtomole | mm3 | Cubic millimeter |
| g or gm | Gram | mM | Millimole |
| h | Hour | mm Hg | Millimeter of mercury |
| IU | International Unit | mm H2O | Millimeter of water |
| ImU | International milliunit | mol | Mole |
| ImcU | International microunit | mmol | Millimole |
| IU | International Unit | mOsm | Milliosmole |
| K | Kilo | mμ | Millimicron |
| kat | Katal | mU | Milliunit |
| kg | Kilogram | mμ | Millimicron |
Table 3. Abbreviations & Units of Measurement
| Abbreviation | Definition | Abbreviation | Definition |
| μ3 | Cubic micron | ng | Nanogram |
| μKat | Microkatal | nm | Nanometer |
| μg | Microgram | nmol | Nanomole |
| μL | Microliter | Pa | Pascal |
| μm | Micrometer | pg | Picogram |
| μm3 | Cubic Micrometer | pL | Picoliter |
| μIU | Microinternational unit | pmol | Picomole |
| μmol | Micromole | sec | Second |
| μU | Microunit | SI Units | International System of Units |
| mV | Millivolt | U | Unit |
Implications for Practice
Laboratory Assessment of Nutritional Status: Bridging Theory & Practice was designed to be used by RDs, RNs, case managers, DTRs, CDMs and healthcare science students as a reference tool. It includes over 90 laboratory tests with a nutritional significance. Laboratory tests include normal values, critical values, nutritional significance, disease states that increase or decrease results and medications which may increase or decrease results. All laboratory values are listed in alphabetical order for easy reference. An index is provided for cross reference.