Total bilirubin; Unconjugated bilirubin; Indirect bilirubin; Conjugated bilirubin; Direct bilirubin
Normal Values:
direct bilirubin: 0 to 0.3 mg/dl
total bilirubin: 0.3 to 1.9 mg/dl
Note: mg/dl = milligrams per deciliter
Normal values may vary slightly from laboratory to laboratory.
What abnormal results mean:
Jaundice is the discoloration of skin and sclera of the eye, which occurs when bilirubin accumulates in the blood at a level greater than approximately 2.5 mg/dl. Jaundice occurs because red blood cells are being broken down too fast for the liver to process, because of disease in the liver, or because of bile duct blockage.
If the bile ducts are obstructed, direct bilirubin will build up, escape from the liver, and end up in the blood. If the levels are high enough, some of it will appear in the urine. Only direct bilirubin appears in the urine. Increased direct bilirubin usually means that the biliary (liver secretion) ducts are obstructed.
Increased indirect or total bilirubin may indicate:
Review Date: 2/14/2005
Reviewed By: Christian Stone, M.D., Division of Gastroenterology, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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