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Mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH)

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) = haemoglobin/RBC - represents weight of heamoglobin in average RBC - not as useful as MCHC

  • limited value in the differential diagnosis of anaemias
  • decreased in
    • microcytic and normocytic anaemias
  • increased in
    • macrocytic anaemias
    • infants and newborn
    • conditions with cold agglutinins - due to methodologic interference
    • in vivo haemolysis - due to methodologic interference
    • monoclonal proteins in blood - due to methodologic inteference
    • high heparin concentration - due to methodologic interference

Mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) (gm/dL) = haemoglobin/haematocrit; represents concentration of haemoglobin in average RBC

  • MCHC is increased in
    • hereditary spherocytosis - should be considered whenever MCHC > 36 gm/dL
    • infants and newborn
    • in vivo haemolysis - due to methodologic interference
    • conditions with cold agglutinins or severe lipaemia of serum - due to methodologic interference
    • high heparin concentration - due to methodologic interference
  • MCHC is not increased in pernicious anaemia
  • MCHC is decreased in (<30.1 gm/dL)
    • microytic anaemias - normal value does not rule out any of these anaemias - low MCHC may occur in iron deficiency anaemia when performed with automated instruments
    • marked leukocytosis (>50,000/cu mm) - due to methodologic interference
  • changes in MCHC occur very late in the course of any disease process

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