Question

Why is there a decrease in MCV and an increase in MCHC in some cases of sickle cell anemia?

Answer 1

The MCV ( Mean corpuscular volume) is basically a blood test that measure the size of the red blood cells mainly and estimate  its volume also.

The MCHC is (Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration) is basically the measurement of average concentration of hemoglobin.

The Sickel cell anemia is a disorder in which RCBs get affected and they are no longer healthy to carry sufficent oxygen through out the body , and the shape of RCB get changed due to this and turns into sickel shape that are not moved through vessels easily.

The MCV is decrease and an increase in MCHC  in some cases of sickel cell anemia because sometime there is a decrease in the value of MCV because of the deficiency of iron and menstrual bleeding and  gastrointestinal bleeding. Decrease in MCV means reduced in size of RCBs and the reason behind this is  microcytic condition in which body have small RCBs as compared to normal . MCHC is increased in somecases , means due to the break down of red blood cells the hemoglobin gets concentrated . MCHC is increased in those people specially who do smoking after having the sickel cell anemia without knowing about it. Sickel cell anemia with homozygous condtion and sometime autoimmune conditions are also the factor that increase in MHCH .