High MCH and MCHC?

[lotusbud]

What does it mean to have these values high?
For MCHC (mean cell hemoglobin concentration) I only found spherocytosis. Is there a value, that the MCHC does not get higher because of chemical reasons (remember reading vaguely but forgot already where)?
Thank you so kindly.

[lotusbud]

Oh I just found it! Silly me!
http://www.medialabinc.net/hyperchromia-keyword.aspx
They say that MCHC can not be higher than 36%. But why would it go so high?

[Neil Cuadra]

By "cannot be higher than 36%" I think they mean "should not be higher than 36%". The normal range for MCHC (mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration) is about 32% to 36%. It can be higher than 36% if your hemoglobin is on the high end of the normal range or above the normal range and/or if your hematocrit percentage is on the low end of the normal range or below the normal range.

From the counts you posted here, your MCHC is within the normal range. Although high MCHC can be a sign of spherocytosis (abnormally round red blood cells) doctors would consider the MCHC count in the context of the other blood counts, the diagnosed disease, and any treatment in progress.

MCH (mean corpuscular hemoglobin) is similar but based on red blood count instead of hematocrit, so it can be higher if your hemoglobin is high and/or your red blood count is low.