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Ultrasonography of the Adult Male Urinary Tract for Urinary Functional Testing
Published on: August 14, 2019
Hyperbilirubinemia and intermittent lower urinary tract dysfunction
Vesna Stojanović1, Tamara Vukavić
1Institute for Child and Youth Health Care of Vojvodina, Hajduk Veljka 10., Novi Sad, Serbia. vesnasto@eunet.rs
Hyperbilirubinemia, a condition of high bilirubin levels, may cause temporary lower urinary tract dysfunction in children. Normalizing bilirubin levels through diet resolved these urinary issues, suggesting a link between bilirubin and bladder function.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Urology
- Clinical Chemistry
Background:
- Hyperbilirubinemia is characterized by elevated bilirubin levels in the blood.
- Gilbert's syndrome is a common genetic disorder causing mild hyperbilirubinemia.
- Lower urinary tract function can be assessed using uroflowmetry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of hyperbilirubinemia on lower urinary tract function in patients with suspected Gilbert's syndrome.
- To determine if transient hyperbilirubinemia influences uroflowmetric parameters.
Main Methods:
- A diagnostic fasting test was performed on 29 patients with suspected Gilbert's syndrome.
- Uroflowmetric tests were conducted after 24 hours of fasting and after 24 hours of hypercaloric intake.
- Serum bilirubin levels were monitored throughout the study.
Main Results:
- Following 24 hours of fasting, 31% of patients exhibited abnormal uroflowmetric patterns.
- Patients with abnormal patterns had significantly higher conjugated bilirubin levels post-fasting (p=0.012).
- After a 24-hour hypercaloric intake, all patients demonstrated normal uroflowmetry.
Conclusions:
- Hyperbilirubinemia may be a contributing factor to intermittent lower urinary tract dysfunction in pediatric patients.
- The findings suggest a potential link between elevated bilirubin and temporary bladder outlet obstruction.
- Dietary interventions normalizing bilirubin levels appear to resolve urinary dysfunction.
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