Question:
I've recently
joined the medical college and my father who has always been alright
in even the hardest summers ....but recently....in these summers,
while he was taking a homeopathic medicine for enlarged prostrate.........and
the homeo doc increased the potency or something.....he got jaundice.....
Following is the report for LFT (liver function test):
Serum total bilirubin: 206---- (normal:2-17 u/l)
Serum
ALT: 2394------ (normal: males-upto 42 u/l)
Serum
alkaline phosphatase: 419----- (normal in adults: 132-365)
Serum
albumin: 42-(normal: 35-50g/l).
Please
if anyone can help to diagnose the exact problem or at least signify
the type of hepatitis.
Please
note that the blood cp and urine culture reports are showing everything
ok, but a few wbcs (white blood cells) were detected in the urine....and
the specific gravity of the urine sample was 1018.
Please
reply soon.......
Patient
Answer:
Dear
Patient,
Jaundice
is the discoloration of body tissues caused by abnormally high levels
of bilirubin.
Bilirubin
levels greater than 3mg/dl usually produce jaundice. Once the jaundice
is recognized clinically, it is important to determine whether the
increased bilirubin level is prehepatic or posthepatic jaundice.
A rise
in unconjugated bilirubin indicates prehepatic or hepatic jaundice
and is treated medically, whereas a rise in conjugated bilirubin indicates
posthepatic jaundice a condition that may require bile duct surgery
or therapeutic endoscopy.
The alanine
aminotransferase (ALT) test is done to:
-Identify
liver disease, especially cirrhosis and hepatitis caused by alcohol,
drugs, or viruses.
-Help check for liver damage.
-Find out whether jaundice was caused by a blood disorder or liver
disease.
Very
high levels of ALT or alanine aminotransferase may be caused by:
-Recent
or severe liver damage, such as viral hepatitis.
-Lead poisoning.
-Drug reactions.
-Exposure to carbon tetrachloride.
-Decay of a large tumor (necrosis).
-Shock.
High
Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels can show that the bile ducts are
blocked.
Evidence
of white blood cells or bacteria in the urine is considered abnormal
and may suggest a urinary tract infection such as, bladder infection
(cystitis) and infection of kidney (pyelonephritis).
Urine
specific gravity normal values are between 1.002 to 1.028.
