Mean Cell Haemoglobin Cocentration (MCHC)
MCHC is the average concentration of haemoglobin in a given volume of red blood cells. It is the ratio of the Haemoglobin (Hb) to the Haematocrit (Hct) and is a measure of how much Hb is packed into the average cell.
Causes associated with low MCHC:
- Iron deficiency (with or without anaemia)
- Lead poisoning
- Thalassaemia (beta thalassemia, alpha thalassemia, and thalassemia intermedia)
- Sideroblastic anemia
- Anaemia of chronic disease
Causes associated with low MCHC:
- Autoimmune haemolytic anemia
- Cold agglutinin (CHAD) (falsely raised)
- Smokers
- Hereditary spherocytosis
- Severe burns
- Liver disease
- Hyperthyroidism
- Sickle cell disease (homozygous)
- Haemoglobin C disease