What Is A Direct Bilirubin Test?

Oct 2022

What is direct bilirubin test?

This test looks for bilirubin in your blood or urine.

Direct bilirubin test is a substance made when your body breaks down red blood cells. Bilirubin is also part of bile, which helps liver to digest the food.

A small amount of bilirubin in your blood is normal. Healthy adults make 250 to 350 milligrams (mg) of bilirubin per day.

Some bilirubin is bound to a certain protein in the blood. This type of bilirubin is called unconjugated or indirect bilirubin. In the liver, bilirubin is changed into a form that your body can get rid of. This is called conjugated bilirubin or direct bilirubin. This bilirubin travels from the liver into the small intestine. A very small amount passes into your kidneys through urine. This bilirubin also gives urine its distinctive yellow color.

This test is often done to look for liver problems, such as hepatitis, or blockages, such as gallstones.

Why do I need this test?

You need this test, if your liver doesn't working properly.

Symptoms include:

Jaundice
Dark yellow urine
Light gray or clay-colored stools
Nausea
Vomiting
fatigue
Belly pain or swelling

You may also have this test to check for possible liver damage. Drinking too much alcohol can damage the liver over time.

You may also need this test if your healthcare provider thinks that you may have:

Hepatitis. Your liver can become inflamed for different reasons, such as infection with hepatitis virus, and excessive drug or alcohol use. When liver cells are damaged from hepatitis, the liver may release both indirect and direct bilirubin test into the bloodstream. This causes higher levels.
Gallstones. The bile duct is a tube that carries bile to the small intestine. Bilirubin or cholesterol can form stones that block the duct. This causes bilirubin mostly direct bilirubin to rise in your bloodstream.
Inflammation of the bile duct. Higher levels of direct bilirubin in your blood may stem from inflammation in the tube that carries bile to the small intestine.

What do my test results mean?

Test results may vary depending on your age, gender, health history etc. Your test results may be different depending on the lab used. Ask your healthcare provider what your test results mean to you.

Results are given in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Normal results of the blood test range from 0 to 0.3 mg/dL in adults.

If your results on the blood test are higher, bilirubin may also show up in your urine. Bilirubin is not present in the urine normally, healthy people.

Results that are higher means that you have a liver problem, hepatitis, or gallstones.

Higher levels may also mean that you have: