bilirubin question

[medicinehopeful]

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hey all,
i'm a little confused and could use help.
with hemolytic anemia, there is an increase in UCB, so the patient has jaundice. Will the patient also have dark stool and dark urine since the excess UCB will eventually be converted with urobilin?

 

[monalisa83]

The patient will have dark stool and urine in a hemolytic anemia that is extravascular (within spleen) because the high unconjugated bilibrubin is converted to conj bilirubin which is then broken down by intestinal bacteria to yield higher stercobilin (stool) and urobilin. Hope that helps.