UNCONJUGATED HYPERBILIRUBINEMIA

Course overview

UNCONJUGATED HYPERBILIRUBINEMIA IS A CONDITION DEFINED AS ELEVATED SERUM OR PLASMA BILIRUBIN (UNCONJUGATED) LEVELS ABOVE THE REFERENCE RANGE OF THE LABORATORY. UNCONJUGATED HYPERBILIRUBINEMIA USUALLY RESULTS FROM DYSREGULATION IN THE BILIRUBIN METABOLISM THAT INCLUDES INCREASED PRODUCTION, IMPAIRED HEPATIC UPTAKE, AND DECREASED CONJUGATION OF BILIRUBIN. IN NEWBORNS, UNCONJUGATED HYPERBILIRUBINEMIA IS VERY COMMON, AND INCREASED BILIRUBIN (UCB) LEVELS CAN CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING KERNICTERUS. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT OF UNCONJUGATED HYPERBILIRUBINEMIA. IT ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF TEAMWORK IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH THIS DISEASE.