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Why are there two units for the same tests?
The same blood test can be expressed in two systems of units. mg/dL (milligrams per decilitre) is used in the United States and a few other countries, while mmol/L (millimoles per litre), or something similar in the International System of Units (SI), is used across most of Europe and in the scientific literature. In essence, both describe the same reality; only the way of expressing it differs.
How is the conversion between mg/dL and mmol/L (µmol/L) done?
The conversion is done by multiplying or dividing the value by a factor that depends on the substance being measured, because each has a different molecular mass. For example, blood glucose in mg/dL is divided by 18 to get mmol/L, and cholesterol is divided by 38.67. The calculator above automatically chooses the correct factor for the selected analyte and converts both ways.
Which conversion factor is used for each test?
The usual factors are: blood glucose — divide by 18; total cholesterol, HDL and LDL — divide by 38.67; triglycerides — divide by 88.57; creatinine — multiply by 88.42, giving a result in µmol/L; uric acid — multiply by 59.48, also in µmol/L. These are the internationally recognised factors for converting from mg/dL to SI units.
What are these conversions useful for?
They are useful when you receive a lab report in a system of units you are not used to, when you compare results from different countries, when you follow a foreign guideline or scientific article, or when you set up a device (a glucose meter or sensor) configured for a different unit. The conversion lets you understand the value quickly, without manual calculations.