Daily Health  Tip

For 3 Sep 2019

Laboratory Tests for Jaundice ( Infective Hepatitis )

By Prof Dr R R Deshpande ( M- 9226810630 )

Mail ID – professordeshpande@gmail.com

If any patient comes with complaints like Severe Anorexia ,Nausea ,Vomiting ,Pain in right  upper quadrant of abdomen ,also some times fever with chill .Loss of Appetite or Anorexia is so severe that even patient do not want see at food .--Then Doctor suspects Jaundice 

When doctor examines he finds soft & tender Liver .Then doctor checks upper Palpebral Conjunctiva in sun light or day light ( & not in Tube light or Lamp Light ) for Yellow discoloration .This is called as Icterus . some times patient may complain dark yellow or High coloured urine

Then doctor suspects that patient may have Jaundice or Infective Hepatitis due to Virus A ,due to contaminated water .

Then  to confirm this provisional diagnosis doctors asks to  do Urine Routine Examination .In the report if Bile Salts & Bile Pigments are present ,then patient is suffering from Jaundice

Jaundice is a inflammation of Liver i.e Hepatitis .Next Doctor advice LFT = Liver Function Tests

These tests gives more idea about Type of Jaundice & Severity of Jaundice

Let us see details of LFT  & their Normal values & if raised ,what is it’s significance ?

Serum Bilirubin  -- Bilirubin is breakdown product of Haemoglobin .Unconjugated or Indirect Bilirubin is converted to Conjugated or Direct Bilirubin in Liver .This is excreted through bile into small intestine .

In Jaundice Blood Bilirubin Level Increases

Normal Values

Total Bilirubin = 0.1 to 1.2 mg %

Direct Bilirubin = up to 0.3 mg %

Indirect Bilirubin = 0.1 to 1 mg%

Indirect Bilirubin increases in Jaundice due to Pre Hepatic Causes like Haemolytic Jaundice

Direct Bilirubin Increases in Infective Hepatitis or Obstructive Jaundice

In Jaundice Liver Enzymes levels are also increased

SGPT = Serum Glutamate Pyruvate Transaminase

This is also called as ALT = Alanine Amino Trasferase

Norma Value = 5 to 35 IU /Lit

In Obstructive Jaundice ,due to Gall stones or Cancer ,Serum Alkaline Phosphatase level becomes very High

Normal value = In Adults = 100 to 250 IU /L

In Children = 250 to 770 IU/L

In obstructive Jaundice patients complains of severe Itching & spasmodic pain in abdomen .Here Jaundice is deep & serum Bilirubin is too high .Then Doctor advice USG abdomen ,to find out cause of obstruction in Bile duct

There is another Type of Jaundice ,where Anorexia is not severe .But there is history of Blood Transfusion or STD ( Sexual Trasmitted Disease) .In this case Doctor will suspect Jaundice due to Hepatitis B virus .This is also called as Serum Jaundice .Diagnosis is confirmed by doing Blood Tests as Australia Antigen or HBsAg .This Test becomes Positive

Here we must understand that ,even if you are taking Ayurvedic or Homeopathic or Naturopathy Treatment ,above  said Investigations are must to get done !