Causes, Significance and Pathophysiological Rationale of Hyperbilirubinemia

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation

Causes, Significance and Pathophysiological Rationale of Hyperbilirubinemia

Hyperbilirubinemia or excessive bilirubin is the main cause of jaundice. Bilirubin that is responsible for yellow color in jaundice is a normal pigment that is released from red blood cells breakdown. Jaundice is caused by a problem from any of bilirubin three phases. Before bilirubin is produced, unconjugated jaundice may be present due to increased bilirubin that is caused by hemolytic anemia and reabsorption of a large hematoma (Demet Cabar, Aydin, & Gullu, 2014). During bilirubin production, some jaundice causes include viruses like Chronic Hepatitis B and C, Hepatitis A and Epstein-Barr virus infection. Other causes include, rare genetic metabolic defects, alcohol, autoimmune disorders and medicines like Chlorpromazine, Penicillins, Oral contraceptives, Acetaminophen and Estrogenic or anabolic steroids.

Demet Cabar, Aydin, & Gullu, 2014, Hyperbilirubinemia is found both in adults and children. Jaundice is common in infants because they have high level of blood vessels which breakdown and frequently replaced. The baby’s liver is not fully developed making it less effective in processing bilirubin and discharging it from the blood. Their bilirubin is twice as high as in adults. Hyperbilirubinemia is clinically significance in that it is associated with high mortality especially in babies. The condition also significantly increases the likelihood of common duct stones in clients with acute cholecystitis.

Neonatal physiologic jaundice is as a result of simultaneous occurrence of two phenomenons. Production of bilirubin is elevated due to increased fetal erythrocytes breakdown resulting to shortened fetal erythrocytes lifespan and the higher erythrocyte mass in neonates (Ip, 2003). The excretory heparin capacity is low in concentration due to low binding protein ligandin in hepatocytes and due to the low glucuronyl transferase activity that is responsible for binding bilirubin to glucuronic acid making it water soluble. Bilirubin is an end product of heme produced by in the reticuloendothelial system formed through oxidation-reduction reactions. In the liver, bilirubin is transported in to the liver cells where it bores to ligandin.

References 

Demet Cabar, H., Aydin, A., & Gullu, U. (2014). Care in neonatal jaundice. International Journal Of Academic Research, 6(3), 8-14. http://dx.doi.org/10.7813/2075-4124.2014/6-3/a.2

Ip, S. (2003). Management of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. [Rockville, Md.]: [U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality].