HealthFlex
×
  • Home
  • Immunology Book
  • Lab Tests
    • Hematology
    • Fluid analysis
    • CSF
    • Urine Analysis
    • Chemical pathology
    • Blood banking
    • Fungi
    • General pathology
    • Immune system
    • Microbiology
    • Parasitology
    • Pathology
    • Tumor marker
    • Virology
    • Cytology
  • Lectures
    • Bacteriology
    • Liver
    • Lymph node
    • Mycology
    • Virology
  • Blog
    • Economics and technical
    • Fitness health
    • Mental health
    • Nutrition
    • Travel
    • Preventive health
    • Nature and photos
    • General topic
  • Medical Dictionary
  • About Us
  • Contact

Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)

January 29, 2023HematologyLab Tests

Table of Contents

  • Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)
      • Sample for Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)
        • Indication for Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)
      • Definition of Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)
      • Interfering factors for Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) are:
      • Normal MCHC
      • Normal MCHC values are seen in the following:
      • Decreased values of MCHC are seen in the following:
      • Increased values of MCHC are seen in the following:

Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)

Sample for Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)

  1. It is done on blood in EDTA (anticoagulant).
  2. Whole blood is stable 6 hours at 25 °C and 24 hours at 4 °C.
  3. Fetal blood is collected by percutaneous umbilical blood.

Indication for Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)

  1. This is part of CBC (Complete blood count).
  2. This helps to diagnose the type of anemia.
  3. Mostly advised diagnosing macrocytic anemia.

Definition of Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin concentration (MCHC)

  1. Definition:
    1. This measures the average hemoglobin concentration or percentage of hemoglobin within a single RBC.
Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin concentration (MCHC): MCHC formula

Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin concentration (MCHC): MCHC formula

  1. On the basis of MCHC, RBCs may be classified into:
    1. Normochromic.
    2. Hypochromic.
  2. Both MCH and MCHC values are used to determine the content of Hemoglobin in the RBCs.
    1. If MCHC is normal, caused by low mchc and high MCV.
    2. Then RBCs are referred to as normochromic.
    3. If MCHC is less than normal, then RBCs are referred to as hypochromic.
  3. Hypochromic RBC when Decreased MCHC indicates low hemoglobin.
  4. The above normal level may be seen in alteration of RBC shape like spherocytosis, transfusion reaction, and erythroblastosis fetalis.

Interfering factors for Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) are:

  1. False increased MCHC is seen in the following:
    1. The abnormal size of the RBCs may affect the MCHC.
    2. Increased level of lipids in the blood gives a high result because of high hemoglobin.
    3. Intravascular hemolysis gives free hemoglobin, which is calculated by the autoanalyzer.
    4. Sickle cell anemia.
    5. Hereditary spherocytosis.
    6. Few cases of autoimmune hemolytic anemia.
    7. Sever lipemia of the serum.
    8. Rouleaux formation or agglutination.
    9. In the case of increased concentration of heparin.
  2. Decreased MCHC is seen in marked leucocytosis (>50,000/cmm).

Normal MCHC

Source 1

Age g Hb/dL
Fetal blood
18 to 20 weeks 32.0 ± 2.3
21 to 22 weeks 31.7 ± 2.78
23 to 25 weeks 32.1 ± 3.20
26 to 30 weeks 32.1 ± 3.60
Cord blood 30 to 36
0.5 month 28 to 35
0ne month 28 to 36
2 month 28 to 35
4 month 29 to 37
6 to 12 month 32 to 37
1 to 2 year 32 to 38
3 to 11 year 32 to 37
Male Female
12 to 14 year 32 to 37 32 to 37
15 to 17 year 32 to 36 32 to 36
18 to 44 year 32 to 37 32 to 36
45 to 64 year 32 to 36 31 to  36
65 to 74 year 31 to 36 32 to 36
  • To convert into SI unit x 10 = g Hb/L

Source 2

  • Adult = 32 to 36 g/dL or 32 to 36%
  • Newborn = 32 to 33 g/dL or 32 to 33%.

Normal MCHC values are seen in the following:

  • Normochromic anemia (hemolytic anemias).

Decreased values of MCHC are seen in the following:

  1. When MCHC is < 30 g/dL.
    1. Hypochromic microcytic anemias:
      1. Iron deficiency anemia.
      2. Microcytic anemia.
      3. Chronic blood loss.
      4. Thalassemia.
Microcytosis due to low MCHC

Microcytosis due to low MCHC

Increased values of MCHC are seen in the following:

  1. Hereditary spherocytosis is suspected when MCHC is >36 g/dL.
  2. Newborns and infants.
  3. Erythroblastosis fetalis.
  4. Not an increase in pernicious anemia.

Possible References Used
Go Back to Hematology

Add Comment Cancel


  • Lab Tests
    • Blood banking
    • Chemical pathology
    • CSF
    • Cytology
    • Fluid analysis
    • Fungi
    • General pathology
    • Hematology
    • Immune system
    • Microbiology
    • Parasitology
    • Pathology
    • Tumor marker
    • Urine Analysis
    • Virology

About Us

Labpedia.net is non-profit health information resource. All informations are useful for doctors, lab technicians, nurses, and paramedical staff. All the tests include details about the sampling, normal values, precautions, pathophysiology, and interpretation.

[email protected]

Quick Links

  • Blog
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Disclaimer

Our Team

Professor Dr. Riaz Ahmad Bhutta

Dr. Naheed Afroz Syed

Dr. Asad Ahmad, M.D.

Dr. Shehpar Khan, M.D.

Copyright © 2014 - 2023. All Rights Reserved.
Web development by Farhan Ahmad.