The normal range is 0-19 mU/ml (milliunits per milliliter).
What abnormal results mean:
Elevated levels may indicate secondary polycythemia (an increased production of red blood cells in response to a circumstance like low levels of oxygen in the blood).
Lower-than-normal levels may be seen in chronic renal failure or polycythemia vera (when the body makes too many red blood cells for an unknown reason).
Review Date: 10/31/2005
Reviewed By: William Matsui, M.D., Assistant Professor of Oncology, Division of Hematologic Malignancies, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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