The unreliability of mean corpuscular volume and mean cellular hemoglobin determinations in the diagnosis of α-thalassemia in newborn infants

Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean cellular hemoglobin (MCH) were determined by means of a Hemalog 8/90 electronic counter in 51 full-term newborn infants with α-thalassemia-2 and 15 with α-thalassemia-1, as well as in 150 normal newborn infants. The mean MCV and MCH values were 92 fl±06 and 33.26 pg±2.22 in the normal newborn infants, 82 fl±07 and 29.40 pg±2.60 in the α-thalassemia-2 subjects, and 73 fl±06 and 26.07 pg±2.05 in the α-thalassemia-1 subjects. Four of the 150 normal newborn infants had MCV's 90 fl and MCH's>32.00 pg. We conclude that MCV and MCH determinations are unreliable in the diagnosis of α-thalassemia in the neonatal period.