physiologic jaundice

jaundice /jaun·dice/ (jawn´dis) icterus; yellowness of the skin, scleras, mucous membranes, and excretions due to hyperbilirubinemia and deposition of bile pigments.

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acholuric jaundice  jaundice without bilirubinemia, associated with elevated unconjugated bilirubin that is not excreted by the kidney.

acholuric familial jaundice  hereditary spherocytosis.

breast milk jaundice  elevated unconjugated bilirubin in some breast-fed infants due to the presence of 5-β-pregnane-3-α-20-β-diol in breast milk, which inhibits glucuronyl transferase conjugating activity, or to dehydration.

cholestatic jaundice  that resulting from abnormal bile flow in the liver.

hemolytic jaundice  that due to increased production of bilirubin from hemoglobin under conditions causing accelerated degradation of erythrocytes.

hepatocellular jaundice  that due to injury to or disease of liver cells.

hepatogenic jaundice , hepatogenous jaundice that due to disease or disorder of the liver.

leptospiral jaundice  Weil's syndrome.

mechanical jaundice  obstructive j.

neonatal jaundice , jaundice of the newborn icterus neonatorum.

nuclear jaundice  kernicterus.

obstructive jaundice  that due to blocking of bile flow.

physiologic jaundice  mild icterus neonatorum lasting the first few days of life.

retention jaundice  that due to inability of the liver to dispose of the bilirubin provided by the circulating blood.

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physiologic jaundice

n.

Mild jaundice of newborns caused mainly by functional immaturity of the liver. Also called physiologic icterus.

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physiologic jaundice

Etymology: Gk, physis, nature, logos, science; Fr, jaune, yellow

a simple jaundice of newborns that involves the breaking down of the excessive number of red blood cells that may be present at birth.

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jaundice

Icterus Hepatology A condition characterized by the deposition of excess–> 2 mg/dL, 34 µmol/L free or conjugated BR in peripheral circulation, and in skin, mucosa and sclerae; it is either physiologic–eg, due to hemolysis or pathologic–eg, seen in hepatitis or bile stasis. See Breast milk jaundice, Hyperbilirubinemia, Obstructive jaundice.

Jaundice types–unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia

Physiologic jaundice Jaundice develops ≥ 72 hrs after birth; total BR rises to greater than 15 mg/dL; direct BR is < 15% of total BR; jaundice resolves within 1–2 weeks Etiology Sluggish glucuronyl transferase activity, ↑ of BR 'load,' ↓ plasma clearance of BR Management Phototherapy, exchange transfusion

Pathological jaundice Jaundice develops in 72 hrs after birth; total BR peaks at ≤ 15 mg/dL; direct BR is > 15% of total BR; jaundice may require > 2 weeks to resolve Etiology HDN, hemolysis, extravascular loss of blood, ↑ enterohepatic circulation, breast feeding, defective BR metabolism, sepsis, metabolic disease Management Phototherapy, exchange transfusion