Gilbert Syndrome (Constitutional Hepatic Dysfunction)

Gilbert's syndrome is an inherited condition that's often discovered by accident, such as when someone has a blood test. It occurs due to a defect in the processing of bilirubin by the liver. an inherited metabolic disorder characterized by elevated levels of mostly unconjugated serum bilirubin caused especially by defective uptake of bilirubin by the liver — called also gilbert's disease.

SYMPTOMS

The syndrome may cause the skin and the whites of the eyes to have a yellow tinge due to the build-up of bilirubin.

CAUSES

People with the syndrome have a faulty gene which causes the liver to have problems removing bilirubin from the blood. Normally, when red blood cells reach the end of their life (after about 120 days), haemoglobin – the red pigment that carries oxygen in the blood – breaks down into bilirubin.