THE EXCRETION OF INTRAVENOUSLY INJECTED BILIRUBIN AS A TEST OF LIVER FUNCTION

Abstract

Bilirubin (1 mgm. per kgm. body weight) injected into 12 normal persons (i.e., with-out demonstrable liver injury) was totally excreted in 2-4 hrs. On the theory that slight insufficiencies of the liver could be thus recognized, such an artificial hyper-bilirubinemia was produced in 5 patients with primary anemia, 2 with secondary anemia, and 8 of various types of liver injury, in all of whom the commonly used tests failed to give evidence of damage to the liver. In 14 of these 15 cases there was delayed bilirubin excretion. Harrop and Barron conclude that study of the bilirubin excretory power of the liver is the most delicate method so far proposed for testing the functional capacity of this organ.