Compare a test result with the US population
interpret_test_resultPlaces a person's urine or blood test result among CDC NHANES population percentiles (newest survey cycle loaded), for everyone or one age group, and says in words how high it is. tier.level is below_median, median_to_95th, top_5_percent or far_above (at least twice the 95th percentile; CDC's tables stop at the 95th, so times_95th_percentile gives the multiple); a far_above result carries clear_line, e.g. "This is far above typical. Talk to your clinician soon." ("right away" for blood lead at CDC's 45 ug/dL children's step, or OSHA's 50 for adults). unit_check is set when the value is more than 10 times the highest 95th percentile in CDC's tables, which can mean a unit mix-up (ug/L typed as ug/dL); show it to the person. For blood lead, official_guidance gives CDC's follow-up steps for children (2025) and, for adults (no CDC schedule), what NIOSH lists from agencies and medical groups (2024), each with its source; age 20+ returns only the adult guidance, under 12 only the children's. official_limits includes CDC's 3.5 ug/dL blood lead reference value. context gives cited lines on what the test shows, e.g. urine perchlorate reflects about the last day of food and water. Pass unit as printed on the report: ug/L (same as ng/mL), ug/dL, or ug/g creatinine for creatinine-adjusted urine results (CDC's creatinine tables); ug/L and ug/dL are converted into the table's unit and entered shows what was typed. Context only, not a diagnosis.
Input Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| age | No | Who to compare with: all (default), young (under 6), 6-11, 12-19, 20+, or an age in years | |
| unit | No | Unit printed on the report: ug/L (or ng/mL), ug/dL, or ug/g creatinine (urine only). Omit to use the unit listed for the key. | |
| value | Yes | The result as printed on the report (a number; a numeric string also works) | |
| chemical | Yes | Analyte key: a chemical slug for its first analyte, or chemical:NHANES code. Loaded keys: lead or lead:LBXBPB (Lead, µg/dL); mercury or mercury:LBXTHG (Total Mercury, µg/L); arsenic-total or arsenic-total:URXUAS (Total Arsenic, µg/L or ug/g creatinine); perchlorate or perchlorate:URXUP8 (Perchlorate, µg/L or ug/g creatinine); dehp or dehp:URXMHH (Mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), µg/L or ug/g creatinine); dehp:URXECP (Mono-(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (MECPP), µg/L or ug/g creatinine); dehp:URXMOH (Mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP), µg/L or ug/g creatinine); dehp:URXMHP (Mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), µg/L or ug/g creatinine); dbp or dbp:URXMBP (Mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP), µg/L or ug/g creatinine); dibp or dibp:URXMIB (Mono-isobutyl phthalate (MiBP), µg/L or ug/g creatinine); bbp or bbp:URXMZP (Mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP), µg/L or ug/g creatinine); dep or dep:URXMEP (Mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP), µg/L or ug/g creatinine); bpa or bpa:URXBPH (Bisphenol A, µg/L or ug/g creatinine) |