Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC)
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration measures hemoglobin density within red blood cells. MCHC is the most stable of the red cell indices, varying little across age groups.
Unit: g/dL · 12 slices · age and sex · 1 source
Filed under panels: Complete Blood Count · topics: Hematology
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) is the average concentration of hemoglobin within red blood cells, expressed in g/dL. It is calculated from hemoglobin and hematocrit. Unlike MCV and MCH, MCHC is relatively stable across age because it reflects hemoglobin packing density rather than absolute cell size or hemoglobin mass.
Population Distribution
Browse by Demographic
| Age (years) | male (g/dL) | female (g/dL) |
|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | 32.4–35.2 (34) | 32–34.8 (33.7) |
| 30-39 | 32.6–35.3 (34) | 31.8–34.9 (33.6) |
| 40-49 | 32.7–35.3 (34) | 31.9–34.9 (33.6) |
| 50-59 | 32.7–35.4 (34) | 32–34.9 (33.6) |
| 60-69 | 32.3–35.1 (33.8) | 32.3–35 (33.6) |
| 70+ | 32.3–34.9 (33.7) | 32.1–34.7 (33.5) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is MCHC more stable than MCV or MCH across age groups?
MCHC reflects hemoglobin concentration within the cell, not total cell size or total hemoglobin per cell. When cells get larger with age, they also tend to contain proportionally more hemoglobin, so the concentration stays relatively constant.
When does MCHC change?
MCHC drops in conditions where hemoglobin synthesis is impaired relative to cell size (such as iron deficiency), and rises in conditions where cells are abnormally dense (such as hereditary spherocytosis). In the general population, the distribution is narrow.
Why are these population percentiles and not clinical reference ranges?
Clinical reference ranges for MCHC are derived from a selected population of presumed-healthy individuals and are used to flag values outside the expected range. Population percentiles describe where a value falls across the full US population, which includes people with subclinical and diagnosed conditions. The two answer different questions.