Men: 32 - 36 g/dl
Women: 32 - 36 g/dl
Children from 16 to 18 years old: 32 - 36 g/dl
Children from 6 to 16 years old: 32 - 36 g/dl
Children from 1 to 6 years old: 31 - 35 g/dl
Children from 6 months old to 1 year old: 32 - 36 g/dl
Babies from 2 months to 6 months old: 31 - 35 g/dl
Babies from 2 weeks old to 2 months old: 32 - 36 g/dl
Newborns:: 33 - 37 g/dl
Each laboratory must establish its own normal ranges for MCHC in the blood. These ranges depend on the makeup of the local population, the technologies used and the accuracy of the measurement. There may be also slight differences in the normal levels according to age, gender, race or ethnic origin, geographic region, diet, type of sample and other relevant status. Your doctor will study the results along with your medical record, screenings, physical condition, symptoms and any other relevant information about your situation.
Some conditions may alter the normal ranges:
MCHC is the acronym of Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration. The MCHC measures the average concentration of Hb (hemoglobin) in the RBCs and, as such, represents the ratio of the weight of Hb to the volume of the erythrocyte.
Hemoglobin is the main protein present in the RBCs (Red Blood Cell) and it has the role to carry oxygen to the body tissues and transport back the carbon dioxide to be exhaled in the respiratory process. A hemoglobin level below normal range is called anemia.
The MCHC test has a limited diagnostic value. It can be clinically useful in elucidating the etiology of some type of anemia (where hemoglobin values are low). It usually serves as a confirmation of the diagnosis obtained by other parameters such as hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCV, MCH or RDW.
Decreased MCHC values signify that a unit volume of packed RBCs contains less hemoglobin than normal. The main cause for a low value of MCHC is iron deficiencyanemia. However, only in 20% of the people with iron-deficiency anemia the MCHC will be lower than normal range.
Increased MCHC values occur mainly in hereditary spherocytosis, sickle cell disease and homozygous hemoglobin C disease.
Finally, MCHC is useful to test the electronic cell counters. The MCHC cannot be greater than 37 g/dL because the RBC cannot accommodate more than 37 g/dL. If cell counters show an incoherent high value it is necessary to check for errors in calculation and a laboratory quality control is usually required.
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The following values are considered to be normal values:
IMPORTANT: These levels are expressed in g/dl. They are an example of a healthy woman of about 45 years old with no known disease and not taking any medication. The ranges can be different depending on the laboratory or on your personal circumstances.
MCHC | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normality | |||||||
| 31 g/dl | 31.1 g/dl | 31.2 g/dl | 31.3 g/dl | 31.4 g/dl | 31.5 g/dl | 31.6 g/dl | 31.7 g/dl |
| 31.8 g/dl | 31.9 g/dl | 32 g/dl | 32.1 g/dl | 32.2 g/dl | 32.3 g/dl | 32.4 g/dl | 32.5 g/dl |
| 32.6 g/dl | 32.7 g/dl | 32.8 g/dl | 32.9 g/dl | 33 g/dl | 33.1 g/dl | 33.2 g/dl | 33.3 g/dl |
| 33.4 g/dl | 33.5 g/dl | 33.6 g/dl | 33.7 g/dl | 33.8 g/dl | 33.9 g/dl | 34 g/dl | 34.1 g/dl |
| 34.2 g/dl | 34.3 g/dl | 34.4 g/dl | 34.5 g/dl | 34.6 g/dl | 34.7 g/dl | 34.8 g/dl | 34.9 g/dl |
| 35 g/dl | 35.1 g/dl | 35.2 g/dl | 35.3 g/dl | 35.4 g/dl | 35.5 g/dl | 35.6 g/dl | 35.7 g/dl |
| 35.8 g/dl | 35.9 g/dl | 36 g/dl | |||||
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