Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Direct vs. indirect bilirubin (or conjugated vs. unconjugated) The bilirubin that goes to your liver for processing is “unconjugated,” which means it’s not water-soluble (dissolvable in water). It’s bound to a protein in your blood called albumin that helps carry it to your liver.
Hyperbilirubinemia is unconjugated when the conjugated bilirubin level is less than 15% of the TB. While in conjugated hyperbilirubinemia, conjugated bilirubin level is high and more than 20% of the total bilirubin.
Jaundice in adults can be an indicator of significant underlying disease. It is caused by elevated serum bilirubin levels in the unconjugated or conjugated form.
Investigations and analysis of conjugated bilirubin, unconjugated bilirubin, urobilinogen and bilirubinuria.
Elevation in unconjugated bilirubin indicates prehepatic or hepatic jaundice and may be managed medically; whereas an increase in conjugated bilirubin suggests hepatocellular injury or cholestasis, which may necessitate bile duct surgery or therapeutic endoscopy. No consensus of direct bilirubin levels defining conjugated hyperbilirubinemia was ...
Unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia – Unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia is characterized by plasma elevation of predominantly unconjugated (indirect) bilirubin. This may be due to the overproduction of bilirubin, impaired bilirubin uptake by the liver, or abnormalities of bilirubin conjugation.
The binding affinity for albumin to bilirubin is extremely high, and under ideal conditions, no free (non-albumin bound) unconjugated bilirubin is seen in the plasma. To a lesser degree, especially in states of hypoalbuminemia, binding also occurs with high-density lipoprotein.
Conjugated bilirubin reacts rapidly ("directly") with the reagents. The measurement of unconjugated bilirubin requires the addition of an accelerator compound and is often referred to as indirect bilirubin. Jaundice is often used interchangeably with hyperbilirubinemia.
Unconjugated bilirubin binds to albumin in the blood for transport to the liver, where it is taken up by hepatocytes and conjugated with glucuronic acid to make it water soluble. Conjugated bilirubin is excreted in bile into the duodenum. In the intestine, bacteria metabolize bilirubin to form urobilinogen.
A bilirubin test measures total bilirubin. It can also give levels of two types of bilirubin: unconjugated and conjugated. Unconjugated ("indirect") bilirubin.