What is Jaundice

July 6, 2022

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Jaundice is yellowing of the skin, sclera (the whites of the eyes), and mucous membranes. Bile is a fluid produced by the liver. Bilirubin is a byproduct of the destruction of red blood cells.

Types of Jaundice

There are three main types of Jaundice, namely:

Pre hepatic: This occurs before the liver processes the waste, resulting in increased amounts of unconjugated bilirubin.
Hepatic: This occurs in the liver and results in increased amounts of conjugated and unconjugated bilirubin.
Posthepatic: This occurs after the waste has been digested by the liver, resulting in greater conjugated bilirubin levels.

Jaundice in newborns

When infants are about 3-5 days old, they should be examined by a doctor or nurse. This is because bilirubin levels are often highest around this time. In addition, this is because red blood cells in an infant’s body are constantly broken down and replenished. More bilirubin is produced as a result of this. Furthermore, newborns’ livers are less developed and hence less effective at filtering bilirubin from the body.

In mild cases, symptoms normally resolve on their own. Infants with excessively high bilirubin levels, on the other hand, will require either a blood transfusion or phototherapy. In these circumstances, infant jaundice therapy is critical to preventing kernicterus.

Causes of Jaundice

A malfunction in any of the three stages of bilirubin generation can result in jaundice. Unconjugated jaundice may occur prior to bilirubin synthesis as a result of elevated bilirubin levels caused by:

A significant hematoma is absorbed (a collection of clotted or partially clotted blood under the skin).
Anemias due to hemolysis (blood cells are destroyed and removed from the bloodstream before their normal lifespan is over).

Jaundice can occur with the synthesis of bilirubin. In addition, it can be caused by:

Hepatitis A, chronic Hepatitis B and C, and Epstein-Barr and other viral infections.
Alcohol.
Autoimmune diseases
Rare genetic metabolic disorders.
Acetaminophen toxicity, penicillins, oral contraceptives, chlorpromazine, and estrogenic or anabolic steroids are all examples of medications.

After bilirubin is created, jaundice can result from bile duct obstruction (blockage) caused by:

Gallstones
Swelling of the gallbladder
Gallbladder cancer
Pancreatic tumour

Causes of Jaundice in newborns

Although jaundice in neonates is common and usually cures on its own, some underlying medical issues might cause it. These are some examples:

Inactive thyroid gland
Incompatibility of blood groups occurs when the blood of the pregnant woman and the newborn get mixed in the womb or during birth.
Rhesus disease is a condition in which the pregnant woman’s antibodies kill the blood cells of the newborn.
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
Blocked gallbladder or bile ducts
Crigler-Najjar syndrome is a disorder that impairs bilirubin-processing enzymes.

Symptoms of Jaundice

Sometimes a person may not exhibit symptoms of jaundice and the condition is discovered by chance. The intensity of symptoms is determined by the underlying reasons and the rate at which the disease develops.

You may have the following symptoms and signs if you have jaundice for a short period of time:

Fever
Chills
Abdominal pain
Flu-like symptoms
Change in skin colour
Dark-coloured urine/clay-coloured stool

If your jaundice isn’t caused by an infection, you can notice signs including weight loss or itchy skin (pruritus). The most prevalent symptom of pancreatic or biliary tract cancer-related jaundice is abdominal pain. If you have any of the following conditions, you may get jaundice as a result of your liver disease:

Chronic Hepatitis
Pyoderma gangrenosum
Acute Hepatitis A, B, C
Polyarthralgias

Diagnosing Jaundice

Primarily a doctor diagnoses Jaundice by checking for these various liver diseases such as:

Bruising of the skin
Spider Angiomas
Palmar Erythema

A positive bilirubin urinalysis (urine testing) indicates that the patient has conjugated jaundice. Urinalysis results should be validated by serum tests. A complete blood count (CBC) and bilirubin levels will be measured as part of the serum tests.

Your doctor will also examine your liver to determine its size and tenderness. To confirm the diagnosis, he or she may utilise imaging (ultrasonography and computed tomographic (CT) scanning) and a liver biopsy (getting a sample of the liver).

Treating Jaundice

Jaundice does not normally necessitate therapy in adults (it is a more serious disease in neonates). Jaundice’s causes and complications can be treated. For example, cholestyramine may alleviate itching if it is irritating.