Gilbert syndrome

Gilbert syndrome's disease overview

Gilbert syndrome is a genetic liver disease, in which the liver cannot completely handle a compound called bilirubin.

The liver breaks old red blood cells into different compounds including bilirubin and then, this substance is discharged in feces and urine. If gilbert syndrome, bilirubin will accumulate in the patient's blood flow, causing a condition called hyperlirubin blood. It simply means that the patient has a high amount of bilirubin in the body. In many cases, high bilirubin concentration is a sign that something happens about the function of the liver, however, in Gilbert syndrome, the liver of the patient is normal.

About 3 to 7% of people in the United States suffer from Gilbert syndrome, some studies show that it can be 13% tall. This is a campaign not harmful and does not need treatment, although sometimes can cause some small problems.

Causes of Gilbert syndrome's disease

The cause of Gilbert syndrome occurs when the UGT1A1 gene is changed or mutated. This gene is responsible for instructing to create a type of liver enzymes that help break and remove bilirubin in the body. Mutations of UGT1A1 gene mutations are transmitted through generations in a family, but to appear the disease, the patient needs to receive two abnormal recessive genes from both parents have Gilbert syndrome (1 from the father and 2 words from the mother ). Even if both genes may not have Gilbert syndrome.

Symptoms of Gilbert syndrome's disease

Most people with Gilbert syndrome do not have any symptoms. They have enough liver enzymes to control bilirubin levels. When bilirubin accumulates in the blood, it causes the skin and the eye to turn yellow. Patients should see a doctor if there are skin symptoms and eyes that are yellow due to gilbert syndrome or any other possible cause.

Jaundice is a common problem in infants. But the children born with Gilbert syndrome, the symptoms of jaundice are even worse.

Some factors can cause the level of bilirubin in the blood to increase, but patients only notice jaundice when:

  • Stress
  • Dehydration
  • Exercise too much
  • Infections such as influenza
  • Skipping meals
  • Drinking alcohol
  • Take medication affects your liver
  • cold outdoors

    • Transmission route of Gilbert syndrome's diseaseGilbert syndrome

    Gilbert syndrome is not an infectious disease, so it is incapable of transmitting from patients to healthy people.  

    People at risk for Gilbert syndrome's disease

    Although Gilbert syndrome appears from birth, it is often not noticeable until puberty or later, because the production of bilirubin increases during puberty. The risk of gilbert syndrome is higher than other subjects if:

  • All your parents have abnormal genes that cause Gilbert syndrome
  • Men

    • Prevention of Gilbert syndrome's disease

    Because this is a genetic disease, therefore, scientists have not yet found a method to prevent Gilbert syndrome. 

    Diagnostic measures for Gilbert syndrome's disease

    The doctor may examine Gilbert syndrome, if you notice jaundice without signs or other symptoms of the liver problem. Even if you don't have jaundice, your doctor may notice high bilirubin levels by regular blood tests to consider liver function. Although people born with Gilbert syndrome, sometimes they are not diagnosed until 20 or 30 years old. 

    Doctors can also conduct tests such as liver biopsy, CT scan, ultrasound or other blood tests to eliminate any other condition that can cause or increase to abnormal levels of bilirubin. of the sick. Gilbert syndrome can occur with other liver diseases and blood diseases. 

    Patients may be diagnosed with Gilbert syndrome if the liver tests of bilirubin shows and there is no other evidence of liver disease. In some cases, doctors may also use genetic tests to check the gene mutation responsible for this syndrome. Niacin and rifampin drugs can cause an increase in bilirubin in Gilbert syndrome.

    Other causes of bilirubin increases include:

  • Acute hepatitis related to viral, prescription drugs, alcohol or fatty liver.

    • Inflammation or bile duct infection

    Bile congestion: usually related to gallstones but may be related to gallbladder or bile ducts or pancreatic cancer.

  • Anemia: Bilirubin concentration increases when red blood cells are destroyed early.

    • Cholestasis is a disease related to liver and bile. This disease only occurs in pregnant women. Some pregnant women often experience terrible itching during the last months of pregnancy. The disease occurs when the bile flow in the gallbladder is affected by a high amount of hormone during pregnancy leading to cholestasis.

  • Crigler-najjar syndrome: This genetic condition weakens the specific enzyme responsible for processing bilirubin, resulting in an excess of bilirubin.

    • Dubin-Johnson syndrome: A genetic form of gold, preventing conjugated bilirubin from liver cells.

  • pseudojaundice is a harmless jaundice in which the yellow of the skin is due to excess beta-carotene, not having to be excess of bilirubin, usually from eating too much carrots, pumpkin corn or melon.

    • Gilbert syndrome's disease treatments

    Most people with Gilbert syndrome do not need treatment. Jaundice does not cause any long -term health problems. To avoid increasing bilirubin in the blood, patients can use some measures such as:

  • Do not skip meals
  • Drink plenty of water
    • Use relaxing techniques or other methods to control stress
  • Good night's sleep in the evening
  • Limit the use of alcoholic beverages

    • The same type of bilirubin breakdown also breaks a number of drugs, including:

  • Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
  • Irinotecan (Camptosar), a cancer medicine
  • Protease inhibitors used to treat HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C
  • Single -line antibodies used to treat autoimmune diseases

    • If gilbert syndrome and any of these drugs must be used, the patient is at higher risk of side effects such as diarrhea. Ask your doctor before using any new drug and do not use the dose to exceed recommendations.

    See also:

  • Where is the liver in the human body?
  • Distinguish physiological and physiological jaundice
  • What is the liver function test? Guide to see liver test indicators

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