IMPAIRED BILIRUBIN CONJUGATION

Course overview

BILIRUBIN CIRCULATES IN BOTH THE UNCONJUGATED AND CONJUGATED FORMS. DISORDERS OF IMPAIRED CONJUGATION OF BILIRUBIN CLASSICALLY PRESENT WITH ELEVATED LEVELS OF UNCONJUGATED BILIRUBIN, WHICH IS ALSO CALLED INDIRECT BILIRUBIN. MAJOR CAUSES OF IMPAIRED CONJUGATION OF BILIRUBIN INCLUDE INHERITED DISORDERS AND SECONDARY CAUSES SUCH AS DRUGS. DISORDERS CAN RANGE FROM ASYMPTOMATIC TO SEVERE BILIRUBIN ENCEPHALOPATHY, WHICH IS ALSO KNOWN AS KERNICTERUS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS INHERITED DISORDERS OF IMPAIRED BILIRUBIN CONJUGATION AND THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THEIR MANAGEMENT.