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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffThe presence of Gilbert's syndrome is often discovered by accident, due to either:
- Having a blood test with elevated levels of bilirubin
- Experiencing jaundice with no obvious cause
Your doctor will examine you and ask about symptoms of liver disease, such as abdominal pain or dark urine. He or she may recommend blood tests to rule out liver problems that can cause elevated levels of bilirubin. Common blood tests include:
- Bilirubin test
- Complete blood count
- Liver function tests
The combination of normal blood and liver function tests and elevated bilirubin levels is an indicator of Gilbert's syndrome. No other testing is usually needed to make the diagnosis.
Although it's present from birth, Gilbert's syndrome usually isn't noticed until puberty or later, since bilirubin production increases during puberty. It's more commonly diagnosed in males.
- Chowdhury NR, et al. Gilbert's syndrome and unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia due to bilirubin overproduction. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed May 24, 2012.
- Claridge LC, et al. Gilbert's syndrome. BMJ. 2011;342:d2293.
- American Liver Foundation. Gilbert's syndrome. http://www.liverfoundation.org/abouttheliver/info/gilbertsyndrome/. Accessed May 24, 2012.
- Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2012. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/189880460-4/0/1492/0.html. Accessed May 24, 2012.
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