25/06/2014
WHAT IS JAUNDICE?
Jaundice is yellowing of the skin and eyes.
This condition forms when there is too much
bilirubin in your system. Bilirubin is a yellow
pigment that is formed by the breakdown of
dead red blood cells in the liver . Normally, the
liver gets rid of bilirubin along with old red
blood cells.
Jaundice can indicate a serious problem with
the function of your liver, gallbladder , or
pancreas .
SYMPTOMS OF JAUNDICE :
Yellow-tinted skin and eyes characterize
jaundice. In more severe cases, the whites of
your eyes may turn brown. You may also have
dark urine and pale stools.
If an underlying health condition such as
hepatitis is to blame for jaundice, you might
experience other symptoms, such as excessive
fatigue and vomiting .
Some people misdiagnose themselves when
they experience yellow skin. According to the
National Institutes of Health (NIH), patients
who have jaundice usually have both yellow-
colored skin and eyes. If you only have yellow
skin, you may simply have too much beta-
carotene in your system ( NIH, 2011). Beta-
carotene is an antioxidant found in carrots and
pumpkin. An overdose of this antioxidant is
not a cause of jaundice.
CAUSES OR JAUNDICE :
Old red blood cells travel to your liver, where
they’re broken down. Bilirubin is the yellow
pigment formed by the liver’s breakdown of
these old cells. Jaundice occurs when your
liver doesn’t break down bilirubin the way it is
supposed to.
Your liver might be damaged and unable to
perform this process. Sometimes, the bilirubin
simply can’t make it to your digestive tract to
be eventually removed through your stool. In
other cases, there may be too much bilirubin
trying to enter the liver at once or too many
red blood cells dying at one time.
Jaundice in adults is often indicative of:
alcohol abuse
infections
liver cancer
cirrhosis (scarring of the liver)
gallstones (cholesterol stones made of
hardened fat (lipid) material or pigment
stones made of bilirubin)
hepatitis (swelling of the liver that decreases
its ability to function)
pancreatic cancer
parasites in the liver
blood disorders, such as hemolytic anemia
(a decreased amount of red blood cells in
the body, which leads to fatigue and
weakness)
an adverse reaction to or overdose of a
medication, such as acetaminophen
Jaundice is also a frequent occurrence in
newborns, especially in babies who are born
prematurely. An excess of bilirubin may
develop in these newborns because their livers
haven’t fully developed yet.
TESTS & DIAGNOSIS :
Your doctor will first conduct blood tests to
determine the cause of your jaundice. A blood
test can not only determine the total amount
of bilirubin in your body, but it can also help
detect indicators of other diseases such as
hepatitis.
Other diagnostic tests may be used, including:
liver function tests : a series of blood tests
that measure levels of certain proteins and
enzymes that the liver produces when it is
healthy and when it is damaged
imaging tests : includes abdominal
ultrasounds (using high-frequency sound
waves to generate images of your internal
organs), computed tomography (CT) scan,
and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
tests
liver biopsies: a small piece of liver tissue is
removed for testing and microscopic
examination
The severity of jaundice in newborns is
generally diagnosed with a blood test. A small
blood sample is taken by pricking the infant’s
toe . Your pediatrician will recommend
treatment if the results indicate moderate to
severe jaundice.
The type of treatment your doctor
recommends for jaundice depends on the
underlying cause. Mild cases may go away
without treatment. However, severe cases can
eventually damage the brain. Your doctor will
work at treating the cause of the jaundice, not
the symptom itself. Once treatment begins,
your yellow skin will likely diminish.
According to the American Liver Foundation,
most jaundice cases in infants resolve within
one to two weeks ( American Liver Foundation ,
2011).
Moderate jaundice is treated with
phototherapy ( light therapy) in the hospital or
home to help remove excess bilirubin.
The light waves used in phototherapy are
absorbed by your baby’s skin and blood. The
light helps your baby’s body to change the
bilirubin into waste products to be eliminated.
Frequent bowel movements with greenish
stools are a common side effect of this
therapy. This is just the bilirubin exiting the
body. Phototherapy may involve the use of a
lighted pad, called a biliblanket, which mimics
natural sunlight and is placed on your baby’s
skin.
Severe cases of jaundice are treated with
blood transfusions (injections of donor blood)
to remove bilirubin.
Jaundice usually clears up when the
underlying cause is treated. Outlook depends
on your overall condition. See your doctor right
away to improve your chances of a quick
recovery. Mild cases of jaundice in newborns
tend to go away on their own without
treatment and cause no lasting liver issues.
23 Possible Causes of Yellow Skin
Alcoholic Liver Disease
Alcoholic hepatitis occurs when the liver becomes
inflamed and damaged from long-term overconsumption
of alcohol. Symptoms include loss of appetite,
abdominal pain, and jaundice.
