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Preface
The word jaundice comes from the French word jaune, which means
yellow. Jaundice is a yellowish staining of the skin, sclera, and mucous
membranes by bilirubin, a yellow-orange bile pigment. Bilirubin is formed by a
breakdown product of heme rings, usually from metabolized red blood cells. The
discoloration typically is detected clinically once the serum bilirubin level rises
above 3 mg per dL (51.3 mol per L). Jaundice is not a common presenting
complaint in adults. When present, it may indicate a serious problem. The classic
definition of jaundice is a serum bilirubin level greater than 2.5 to 3 mg per dL
(42.8 to 51.3 mol per L) in conjunction with a clinical picture of yellow skin and
sclera.
Scleral tissue rich in elastin, which has a high affinity for bilirubin, so
jaundice in the sclera is usually a sign that is more sensitive to indicate jaundice
hyperbilirubinemia. Early signs are similar to hyperbilirubinemia is darker urine
color caused by ekresi bilirububin through the kidneys in the form of bilirubin
glukoronid. Jaundice striking greenish skin can be due to the partial oxidation
circulating bilirubin to biliverdin.
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chills, abdominal pain, and flu-like symptoms. For these patients, the change in
skin color may not be their greatest concern. Patients with noninfectious jaundice
may complain of weight loss or pruritus. Abdominal pain is the most common
presenting symptom in patients with pancreatic or biliary tract cancers. Even
something as nonspecific as depression may be a presenting complaint in patients
with chronic infectious hepatitis and in those with a history of alcoholism.
Occasionally, patients may present with jaundice and some extrahepatic
manifestations of liver disease. Examples include patients with chronic hepatitis
and pyoderma gangrenosum, and patients with acute hepatitis B or C and
polyarthralgias.
B. Epidemiology
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C. Bilirubin metabolism
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D. Pathophysiology
1. Bilirubin formation
2. Transport plasma
3. Liver uptake
4. Conjugation
5. Excretion bilier
Prehepatic Phase
1. Bilirubin formation
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enzyme, biliverdin reductase, change the biliverdin to bilirubin.
This stage is particularly the case in the system reticuloendothelial
(mononuclear phagocytosis). Increased red blood cell hemolysis is
the main cause increased formation of bilirubin
2. Trasport plasma
Unconjugated bilirubin indirect is not soluble in water, hence
the transport of unconjugated bilirubin in plasma is bound to
albumin and can not pass through the glomerular membrane, and
therefore not appear in the urine. Bonds weakened in some
circumstances such as acidosis and some ingredients such as
certain antibiotics, salicylates compete in the binding site to
albumin.
Intrahepatic Phase
1. Liver uptake
2. Conjugation
Free bilirubin concentrated in the liver cells conjugated with
glukoronidase acid forming diglukoronida or bilirubin conjugation
of bilirubin or bilirubin direk. This reaction is catalyzed by the
microsomal enzyme glukoroniltransferase produce a water soluble
bilirubin. In some circumstances this reaction produces only
bilirubin monoglukoronida, with the second glukoronik acid was
added to the bile duct through a different enzyme system, but the
reaction is not considered physiology.
Posthepatic Phase
1. Bilirubin excretion
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Conjugated bilirubin is released into the canaliculus along with
other materials. Other organic anions or drugs can affect this
complex process. In the intestine, bacterial flora reduce the
bilirubin into stercobilinogen and removing a large part in the stool
which gives a brown color. Some is absorbed and released back
into the bile, and small amounts reach the urine as urobilinogen.
Kidneys can remove bilirubin diglukoronida but not bilirubin
unconjugated. This explains the dark color of urine typical of
hepatocellular disorders or intrahepatic cholestasis. Unconjugated
bilirubin is insoluble in water but soluble in fats, therefore can pass
the blood-brain barrier or into the placenta. In liver cells,
unconjugated bilirubin undergo conjugation with sugar through
glucoroniltransferase enzymes and bile soluble liquid.
1. Hyperbilirubinemia Unconjugated / Indirect
a. Over production
Increasing the amount of hemoglobin released from red blood
cells that are old or who have hemolysis will increase the
production of bilirubin. Destruction of erythrocytes cause
hyperbilirubinemia most often as a result of intravascular
hemolysis (an autoimmune disorder, microangiopathy or
hemoglobinopathies) or as a result of a large hematoma resorption.
Jaundice arising often called hemolytic jaundice. Bilirubin
conjugation and transfer take place normally, but the supply of
unconjugated bilirubin / indirect exceed the ability of liver cells. As
a result, increased indirect bilirubin in the blood. Because the
indirect bilirubin is not soluble in water it can not be excreted into
the urine and does not occur bilirubinuria. But the formation of
urobilinogen increased, resulting in increased urine excretion in
feces (dark color). Some of the causes of hemolytic jaundice:
abnormal hemoglobin (cickle cell anemia), red cell disorders
(spherocytosis heriditer), serum antibodies (Rh. Incompatible
transfusions), and severe tropical malaria.
b. Descrease in hepatic uptake
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Intake of unconjugated bilirubin is done by separating it from
binding to the protein albumin and receiver. Some medications
such as acid flavaspidat, novobiocin can affect the uptake of this.
c. Descrease hepatic conjugated
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Pressure from the outside of the bile ducts: caput
pancreatic tumors, tumors of the ampulla Vatery,
pancreatitis, tumor metastasis in lig.hepatoduodenale.
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o Ciclosporin, azathioprine,
chlorpromazine, cimetidine,
erythromycin, nitro, ibuprofen,
hypoglycaemics
v. Enzymes
Dubin-Johnson syndrome (DJS)
o Autosomal recessive (cMOAT gene)
with excretion of conjugated bilirubin
Leads to pigmented liver
o Increase in conjugated bilirubin with no
other enzyme changes
o High coproporphyrin
Rotor syndrome
o Similiar to DJS
o Liver not pigmented
o Normal coproporphyrin
b. Unconjugates causes on jaundice (sometimes classified as pre-
hepatic causes)
i. Gilberts syndrome
Congenital hypo-activity of conjugation enzyme
UGT-1. Benign and common (5%)
Normal LFTs except mildly elevated bilirubin,
especially in times of physiological stress/illness
Normal life expectancy
ii. Crigler-Najar syndrome
Autosomal recessive (type I) or dominant (type
II). Severe unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia
Congenital absence (I) or decrease (II) of
glucoronyl transferase
Normal liver histology
Treatment is liver transplant (only type II
survive to adulthood)
3. Posthepatic causes of jaundice
a. Biliary tree obstruction
i. Gallstones
ii. Compression e.g. pancreatitis, pancreatic tumor, lymph
nodes, biliary atresia
iii. Cholangiocarcinoma
iv. Post-operative stricture
b. Primary biliary cirrhosis
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i. M:F = 1:9
ii. ANA and anti-centromere for prognosis (though more
association with CREST)
c. Primary scelosing cholangitis
i. 80% of PSC have UC
ii. ANCA, anti-smooth muscle antibodies
iii. Association with cholangicarcinoma
4. Pregnancy-associated jaundice
a. Obstetric cholestasis
i. 0.1-0.2% of pregnancies
ii. Presentation
Itching jaundice later
Raised liver markers, esp ALP
iii. Issues
Fetal mortality 3.5%
iv. Often recurs in further pregnancies
v. Treatment
Ursodeoxycholic acid
b. HELLP
i. Occurs in 1-2 out of 1000 pregnancies and 10-20% of
severe pre-eclamsia
ii. Leads to a variant of DIC
iii. Needs steroids and prompt delivery
iv. Maternal mortality 1-24%
c. Fatty liver of pregnancy
i. All LFTs including synthetic function go off
d. Hyperemesis gravidarum
e. Pre-eclamsia
i. Associated with abnormal LFTs in 20% cases
F. Differential Diagnosis
The differential diagnosis of jaundice is broad, and a precise diagnosis
is not always possible. For this reason, the EP has two primary responsibities: to
identify and stabilize patients with life-threatening causes of jaundice and to
provide an appropriate work-up for non-emergent cases.
Fulminant hepatic failure
Acute cholangitis
Massive hemolysis
Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia kernicterus
Acute fatty liver of pregnancy
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Metastatis disease
Hereditary Wilsonss disease
Alpha -1- antitrypsin deficiency
Hemochromatosis
Miscellaneous Secondary biliary cirrhosis
Cryptogenic cirrhosis
Infections bacterial Tuberculosis (TB)
Leptospirosis
Syphilis
Abscesses
Brucellosis
Rickettsia
Whipples disease
Infection fungal Candida
Blastomyces
Coccodies
Histoplasmosis
cryptococcus
Infection parasitic Helminths - ascaris, clonorchis,
schistosomiasis, echinococcus
Protozoa amebiasis, plasmodia,
babesiosis, toxoplasmosis,
leishmaniasis
Toxic Medications
Alcohol
Chlorinated hydrocarbons
Amanita phalloides toxin
Aflatoxin
Vitamin A1
Arsenic
Pyrroliziadine alkaloids
Immunologic Autoimmune hepatitis
Primary biliary cirrhosis
Primary sclerosing cholangitis
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Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis
G. Diagnosis
Clinical
Approach
1. History of
illness
A complete medical history is the most important part of the
evaluation of patients with jaundice that can not be explained.
Important considerations include the use of a drug or chemical
exposure, either the doctor prescribed or over-the-counter,
complementary or alternative medicine such as herbal and perfomed
vitamins, or other drugs such as anabolic steroids. Patients should be
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carefully questioned about the possibility of parenteral exposure,
including transfusion, intravenous and intranasal drug use, tattooing
and sexual activity. Other important questions include a history of the
last trip; exposure to people with jaundice; exposure to contaminated
food; Exposure hepatotoxins; alcohol consumption; the duration of
jaundice; and their accompanying symptoms such as arthralgia,
myalgia, rash, anorexia, weight loss, abdominal pain, fever, pruritus,
and changes in urine and feces. While none of the last symptoms are
specific to each of the requirements, they can suggest a specific
diagnosis. Their arthralgia and myalgia precede jaundice indicates
hepatitis, whether viral or drug-related. Jaundice with severe pain in
the right quadrant and chills show choledokolitiasis and ascending
cholangitis.
2. Physical examination
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General assessment should include assessment of nutritional
status of patients. Temporal and proximal muscle wasting disease
shows long as pancreatic cancer or cirrhosis. Stigmata of chronic
liver disease, including Spider nevi, palmar erythema,
gynecomastia, caput medusa, Dupuytren's contracture, enlarged
parotid glands and testicular atrophy are commonly seen in
alcoholic cirrhosis advanced stages (Laennec's) and sometimes in
other types of cirrhosis. Enlargement of the left supraclavicular
node (Virchow's node) or periumbilical nodule (Sister Mary
Joseph's nodule) showed abdominal malignancy. Jugular venous
distention, sign right-sided heart failure, showed liver congestion.
Right pleural effusion, ascites in the absence of clear, can be seen
in advanced stages of cirrhosis.
Abdominal examination should focus on the size and
consistency of liver, spleen is palpable and therefore enlarged, and
whether there is ascites. Patients with cirrhosis may have left lobe
enlarged and palpable under the xiphoid, and an enlarged spleen. A
liver nodules nodular or abdominal mass clearly indicate
malignancy. Enlargement of the liver that can be caused soft or
alcoholic hepatitis virus; infiltrative processes such as amyloid; or
more rarely, kongest acute liver secondary to right-sided heart
failure. Pain in the right upper quadrant with stops breathing during
inspiration (Murphy sign) indicate cholecystitis or sometimes
ascending cholangitis. Ascites with jaundice indicates either
cirrhosis or malignancy with peritoneal dissemination.
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C aput medusae
Clubbing
fingers
Ikterus
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Spider nevi
3. Laboratorium
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albumin level is suggestive of a process that is more acute as
hepatitis virus or koledokolitiasis. High prothrombin time indicates
a deficiency of vitamin K for prolonged jaundice and
malabsorption of vitamin K or significant hepatocellular
dysfunction. Failure to correct the prothrombin time with
parenteral administration of vitamin K showed severe
hepatocellular injury.
Results bilirubin, enzyme assays, albumin, and prothrombin
time test will usually indicate whether the patient has a disorder
yellow hepatocellular or cholestatic disease, as well as some
indication of the duration and severity of the disease. Cause and
evaluation of hepatocellular and cholestatic disease are very
different.
1. Complete blood count
2. Liver function test
3. Hepatitis serology test
4. Bilirubin
5. Test urine
6. Imaging
7. ERCP (endoscopic retrograd cholangiopankreatography)
8. MRCP (magnetic resonance Cholangiopankreatography)
9. Liver biopsy
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Urine Bile Salts Absent
Hepatits serologies
H. Management
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Icterus treatment relies heavily on essentially the disease. Some of the
symptoms are quite disturbing eg, itching or pruritus on the state of intrahepatic
cholestasis, treatment of disease is essentially already sufficient.
1. Prehepatic
2. Hepatic
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before. On two of these disease conditions, treatment given merely
symptomatic. Liver transplant is the only definitive therapy can
provide satisfactory results.
3. Posthepatic
Bibliography
20
Syam (Ed.). Buku Ajar Ilmu Penyakit Dalam (jilid 2, edisi IV), 1935-40.
Jakarta: Internal Publishing.
10. Schwartz SI. Manifestations of Gastrointestinal Desease. Dalam :
Principles of Surgery fifth edition, editor : Schwartz, Shires, Spencer.
Singapore : McGraw-Hill, 1989. 1091-1099.
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