JAUNDICE

Course overview

JAUNDICE, ALSO KNOWN AS HYPERBILIRUBINEMIA, IS DEFINED AS A YELLOW DISCOLORATION OF THE BODY TISSUE RESULTING FROM THE ACCUMULATION OF EXCESS BILIRUBIN. DEPOSITION OF BILIRUBIN HAPPENS ONLY WHEN THERE IS AN EXCESS OF BILIRUBIN, AND THIS INDICATES INCREASED PRODUCTION OR IMPAIRED EXCRETION. THE NORMAL SERUM LEVELS OF BILIRUBIN ARE LESS THAN 1 MILLIGRAM PER DECILITER (MG/DL). HOWEVER, THE CLINICAL PRESENTATION OF JAUNDICE WITH PERIPHERAL YELLOWING OF THE EYE SCLERA, ALSO CALLED SCLERAL ICTERUS, IS BEST APPRECIATED WHEN SERUM BILIRUBIN LEVELS EXCEED 3 MG/DL. WITH FURTHER INCREASE IN SERUM BILIRUBIN LEVELS, THE SKIN WILL PROGRESSIVELY DISCOLOR RANGING FROM LEMON YELLOW TO APPLE GREEN, ESPECIALLY IF THE PROCESS IS LONG-STANDING; THE GREEN COLOR IS DUE TO BILIVERDIN. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF JAUNDICE AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING AND IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.