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Is High Bilirubin Level A Cause For Concern?

Posted on Wed, 16 Dec 2015

Question: Just a question what does a high billrubin mean?

Answered by Dr. Vivek Chail (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Raised bilirubin in blood is from liver, gall bladder and blood disorders

Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for writing in to us.

I have read through your query in detail.
Please find my observations below.

1. Bilirubin is breakdown product of red blood cells in the liver. It is secreted in the bile which is drained into the small intestine.

2. Bilirubin is present in the blood in two forms, conjugated (direct) which is attached to a sugar and unconjugated (indirect) or unattached. By doing a blood test one can know the level of conjugated, unconjugated and total bilirubin in blood.

3. Bilirubin levels in blood can be high due to many conditions including
Liver infection
Alcoholic liver disease
Obstruction to flow of bile
Gall bladder stones
Drug interactions
Cancers including that of hepatobiliary system and pancreas
Blood disorders
Genetic causes

A diagnosis is suspected after studying the pattern of bilirubin elevation and if it is direct, indirect or both. In many patients an ultrasound scan abdomen is recommended to evaluate raised bilirubin in blood.

Hope your query is answered.
Please do write back if you have any doubts.

Regards,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Vivek Chail (14 hours later)

Thanks so much. As a young child I was jaundice and then over the the span of thirty years I have had several(four or five) gall bladder attacks, My mother and sister had theirs take our years ago when I was young. Sometimes my skin looked alittle yellow as a child. People often say how dark my skin is in the winter,, I wonder if the olive component is due to the bilrubbin? I never seem to loose my XXXXXXX
When babys are born jaundice, I remember dr's would tell me to put the baby in a XXXXXXX window. would it help me if I was in the sunshine. My blood looks good overall and my iron has gone upsince I last asked the last question. thanks,, I imagine it is gallbladder related. What is the next step besides the blood test.
Have a great thanksgiving and thank you again

Answered by Dr. Vivek Chail (13 hours later)

Brief Answer:
It is possible you have a congenital hyperbilirubinemia which is harmless

Detailed Answer:

Thanks for writing back with an update.

1. There are conditions by birth causing hyperbilirubinemia in adults.

2. The conditions can be grouped as unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia (Crigler-Najjar syndrome, XXXXXXX syndrome) and conjugated hyperbilirubinemia (Dubin-Johnson syndrome and Rotor syndrome).

3. If you have a congenital hyperbilirubinemia then I guess your doctor has evaluated in detail and given you proper information. Most of these are benign causes and are not a serious problem.

Hope your query is answered.
Please do write back if you have any doubts.

Regards,

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar