OVERVIEW
What is bile?
A bile is a greenish yellow secretion by the liver and is passed to the gall bladder for concentration, storage & transport into duodenum (first part of the small intestine). Bile helps in digestion of body fat. It is composed of bile acids and salts, cholesterol, phospholipids, pigments, water & electrolyte chemicals. Bile pigments are waste products made from normal breakdown of heme (component of red blood cell) by the liver.
What is bile pigment (urine) lab test?
This test is indicated for measuring bile pigment level in urine. The test is necessary for evaluation of bilirubin (main bile pigment), biliverdin & urobilinogen as their presence in body fluid indicates liver dysfunction and increased production of bilirubin (hyperbilirubinemia).
Why is bile pigment (urine) lab test done?
The test is done:
• As it helps measure bile pigment levels in urine
• Bile pigment levels whether increase or decrease can indicate towards several disease conditions
• Bilirubin levels help detect liver dysfunction (jaundice), hemolytic anemia (anemias caused by RBC destruction), blockage of bile ducts
• In adults and older children, bilirubin levels help diagnose/monitor diseases like cirrhosis, hepatitis, or gallstones (liver and bile duct diseases).
• Evaluate people with sickle cell anemia (blood disorder)
• In newborns suffering from jaundice, bilirubin level helps detect the cause of jaundice.
- Is fasting required for a cholestasis test?
Yes, it is preferred that patients should be fasting. However, a 2 hour post-meal level is also used to evaluate liver (hepatic) function.
- How is the bile pigment test done?
For detecting the presence of bile pigment in urine Gmelin's urine test is done.
- What is meant by bile pigments in urine?
If increased bilirubin is excreted in urine, it means the patient is suffering from jaundice.
- Does bile get excreted in urine?
In patients who suffer from complete bile duct obstruction, bile acid gets eliminated via urine.
- Urine turns color if you have liver problems?
A dark colored urine is eliminated when unusual and potentially dangerous waste products are circulating in body. Urine turns dark brown due to bile in urine and indicates towards liver disease.
INTERPRETATION OF THE RESULT:
For bile pigment body fluid test, normal ranges are:
- Bilirubin: Direct bilirubin is less than 0.3 mg/dL (less than 5.1 µmol/L) & Total bilirubin is 0.1 to 1.2 mg/dL (1.71 to 20.5 µmol/L)
- Biliverdin is converted into bilirubin inside the body
- Urobilinogen: Conc in urine ranges from 0.1-1.8 mg/dl (1.7-30 mm/l). Concentrations above 2.0 mg/dl (34 mm/l) considered pathological (disease state).
You get tested as determination of bile pigment levels helps in diagnosis & confirm a liver disease (jaundice), biliary tract obstruction, hemolytic anemia, and neonatal jaundice.