Davis's Lab & Diagnostic Tests
Bilirubin and Bilirubin Fractions
General
Core Lab Study
Synonym/Acronym:
conjugated/direct bilirubin, unconjugated/indirect bilirubin, delta bilirubin, TBil.
Rationale
A multipurpose laboratory test that is an indicator for various diseases of the liver or conditions associated with red blood cell (RBC) hemolysis.
Bilirubin is included in the liver function test panels (LFTs) and in the comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP). LFTs are used to identify liver disease, assess severity of injury, or monitor disease process and response to treatment. CMPs are used as a general health screen to identify or monitor conditions such as bone disease, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, liver disease, or malnutrition.
Patient Preparation
There are no food, fluid, activity, or medication restrictions unless by medical direction.
Normal Findings
(Method: Spectrophotometry) Total bilirubin levels in infants should decrease to adult levels by day 15 as the development of the hepatic circulatory system matures. Values in breastfed infants may take longer to reach normal adult levels. Values in premature infants may initially be higher than in full-term infants and also take longer to decrease to normal levels.
| Age | Conventional Units | SI Units (Conventional Units × 17.1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total bilirubin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Newborn–1 d | Less than 6 mg/dL | Less than 103 micromol/L | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1–2 d | Less than 10 mg/dL | Less than 171 micromol/L | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3–5 d | Less than 12 mg/dL | Less than 205 micromol/L | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7–14 d | Less than 15 mg/dL | Less than 256 micromol/L | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 d–17 yr | Less than 1 mg/dL | Less than 17 micromol/L | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 yr–older adult | Less than 1.2 mg/dL | Less than 21 micromol/L | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Conjugated (direct) bilirubin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 yr–older adult | Less than 0.3 mg/dL | Less than 5 micromol/L | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unconjugated (indirect) bilirubin | Less than 1.1 mg/dL | Less than 19 micromol/L | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Delta bilirubin | Less than 0.2 mg/dL | Less than 3 micromol/L | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The use of different equipment and reagents between laboratories can produce variability in results. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Critical Findings and Potential Interventions
Adults and Children (TBil)
- Greater than 15 mg/dL (SI: Greater than 257 micromol/L)
Newborns (TBil)
- Greater than 13 mg/dL (SI: Greater than 222 micromol/L)
Timely notification to the requesting health-care provider (HCP) of any critical findings and related symptoms is a role expectation of the professional nurse. A listing of these findings varies among facilities.
Consideration may be given to verification of critical findings before action is taken. Policies vary among facilities and may include requesting recollection and retesting by the laboratory.
Sustained hyperbilirubinemia can result in brain damage. Kernicterus refers to the deposition of bilirubin in the basal ganglia and brainstem nuclei. There is no exact level of bilirubin that puts infants at risk for developing kernicterus. Symptoms of kernicterus in infants include lethargy, poor feeding, upward deviation of the eyes, and seizures. Intervention for infants may include early frequent feedings to stimulate gastrointestinal (GI) motility, phototherapy, and exchange transfusion.
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