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Haematology
Mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC)
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MCHC is the average haemoglobin concentration within red cells (haemoglobin divided by haematocrit) and reflects the degree of haemoglobinisation.
Reference interval
| Conventional (g/dL) | SI (g/L) | |
|---|---|---|
| Adults | 32–36 g/dL | 320–360 g/L |
Specimen: Whole blood (EDTA) · Conventional × 10 = SI
Causes of high values
Hereditary spherocytosis, autoimmune haemolysis with agglutination, and analytical artefacts (lipaemia, cold agglutinins, severe haemolysis in vitro).
Causes of low values
Hypochromic anaemia: iron deficiency, thalassaemia and sideroblastic anaemia.
Pre-analytical and method notes
A value persistently above about 36 g/dL should prompt a check for artefact before pathological interpretation. Reference intervals are analyser-dependent; some laboratories report in g/L or as a fraction.
References
- Rifai N, Horvath AR, Wittwer CT. Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics. Elsevier, 6th edition (2018) — Tier 3 (textbook)
- McPherson RA, Pincus MR. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. Elsevier — Tier 3 (textbook)
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