MCHC

MCHC indicates the mean hemoglobin concentration in picograms per 100 millilitres of red blood cells. MCHC is therefore influenced by both the concentration of hemoglobin and the size of the red blood cells. In classifying anemia, there is hypochromic anemia when the MCHC is low (e.g. iron deficiency, internal bleeding, heavy menstruation, chronic inflammatory disease), normochromic anemia when the MCHC is normal (kidney failure, bone marrow disease, etc.) and hyperchromic anemia when the MCHC is above the normal value (folic acid or vitamin B12 deficiency, alcoholism, etc.).