RETROSPECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF LATENT JAUNDICE DETECTED DURING LIVER FUNCTION TESTS

Ashima Badyal*

ABSTRACT

Jaundice, as clinical sign, has been recorded for over 2000 years; however the jaundiced patients are frequently ill, uncomfortable, slightly unable to work, thus it is worthwhile to review this problem from time to time. It is apparent clinically (clinical jaundice) when serum bilirubin concentration reaches 2-3 mg/dl. If serum bilirubin concentration is below 2 mg/dl it is called latent jaundice (sub-clinical-jaundice since at this stage it is not yet detectable). Latent jaundice is often an ignored aspect, hence the study was planned retrospectively to evaluate this aspect. The study was conducted in the main clinical lab, Department of Biochemistry, Government Medical College, Jammu, for a period of 3 months, i.e. May 2015 to July 2015. Sampling, reagents delivery, mixing, processing and printing of results were automatically performed by the Siemens Dimension Clinical Chemistry system. There is a need for an earlier investigation to identify latent jaundice patients, inspite of the fact that they tend to show very little or no clinical symptoms. The reason for identifying latent jaundice and comparing it with clinical jaundice is significant enough as even on random sampling the normal subjects may be as much poised to be suffering with the disease as the overtly jaundiced patient. Serum bilirubin is of immense value in diagnosing and monitoring the cases of latent jaundice. Latent jaundice should be addressed properly by further work-up of the patients and close follow up.

Keywords: Latent jaundice, subclinical, bilirubin, liver.