User:Mr. Ibrahem/Jaundice
Medical condition / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jaundice, also known as icterus, is a yellowish or greenish pigmentation of the skin and whites of the eyes due to high bilirubin levels.[3][6] Jaundice is commonly associated with itchiness.[2] There may also be pale feces and dark urine.[4] Jaundice in babies is also common with an estimated eighty percent affected during their first week of life.[7] While most cases of newborn jaundice are not harmful, if bilirubin levels are very high, brain damage — kernicterus — may occur.[8][7]
Jaundice | |
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Other names | Icterus[1] |
Jaundice of the skin caused by pancreatic cancer | |
Pronunciation |
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Specialty | Gastroenterology, hepatology, general surgery |
Symptoms | Yellowish coloration of skin and whites of the eyes, itchiness[2][3] |
Causes | High bilirubin levels[3] |
Diagnostic method | Blood bilirubin, liver panel[3] |
Differential diagnosis | Carotenemia, taking rifampin[4] |
Treatment | Based on the underlying cause[5] |
Jaundice is not a disease, but rather a medical sign of another health problem.[9] Normal levels of bilirubin in blood are below 1.0 mg/dL (17 µmol/L), while levels over 2–3 mg/dL (34-51 µmol/L) typically result in jaundice.[10][4] High blood bilirubin is divided into two types: unconjugated (indirect) and conjugated (direct).[11] Conjugated bilirubin can be confirmed with the presence of bilirubin in the urine.[12]
Causes of jaundice vary from non-serious to potentially fatal.[11] High unconjugated bilirubin may be due to excess red blood cell breakdown, large bruises, genetic conditions such as Gilbert's syndrome, not eating for a prolonged period of time, newborn jaundice, or thyroid problems.[4][11] High conjugated bilirubin may be due to liver diseases such as cirrhosis or hepatitis, infections, medications, or blockage of the bile duct.[4] In the developed world, the cause is more often blockage of the bile duct or medications; in the developing world, it is more often infections such as viral hepatitis, leptospirosis, schistosomiasis, or malaria.[4] Blockage of the bile duct may occur due to gallstones, cancer, or pancreatitis.[4] Medical imaging such as ultrasound is useful for detecting bile duct blockage.[12] Other conditions can also cause yellowish skin, but are not jaundice, including carotenemia — which can develop from eating large amounts of foods containing carotene — or medications like rifampin.[4]
Treatment of jaundice is typically determined by the underlying cause.[5] If a bile duct blockage is present, surgery is typically required; otherwise, management is medical.[5] Medical management may involve treating infectious causes and stopping medication that could be contributing to the jaundice.[5] Jaundice in newborns may be treated with phototherapy or exchanged transfusion depending on age and prematurity when the bilirubin is greater than 4–21 mg/dL (68-360 µmol/L).[10] The itchiness may be helped by draining the gallbladder or ursodeoxycholic acid.[2] The word jaundice is from the French jaunisse, meaning "yellow disease".[13][14]