Studies of bilirubin kinetics in normal adults.
This report describes studies of bilirubin kinetics in 13 healthy young adults. The plasma content of unconjugated bilirubin-(14)C was determined at frequent intervals for 24-30 hr after the intravenous injection of a tracer dose of unconjugated isotopic bilirubin. Fecal and urinary radioactivity were measured for 7 days. During this time cumulative recovery averaged 96% of the injected dose. The plasma curves were processed by digital computer. For the 30 hr experimental period, a sum of three exponentials, with average half-times of 18, 81, and 578 min, was required to describe the data. Using the plasma curve integral method, the hepatic bilirubin clearance (47 +/-10 ml/min, mean +/-SD), the bilirubin production rate (3.8 +/-0.6 mg/kg per day), and the mean red blood cell life span (101 +/-13 days) were calculated directly from the parameters of this function. To gain further insight into the metabolism of unconjugated bilirubin, the data were also used to determine the parameters of a multicompartmental model. In the model proposed, plasma unconjugated bilirubin exchanges with two additional pools one of which is thought to represent extrahepatic extravascular, and the other intrahepatic unconjugated bilirubin. Bilirubin is eliminated from the system via the proposed intrahepatic pool. From the data and the model, pool sizes and exchange rates between compartments were calculated, and the liver: plasma concentration gradient estimated. These studies provide a detailed analysis of the kinetics of unconjugated bilirubin in a healthy normal population and are intended to serve as a reference point for studies of abnormal states.
D000328:Adult; D001646:Bile / Q000032:analysis; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D003201:Computers; D004905:Erythrocyte Aging; D005243:Feces / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate
D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D001663:Bilirubin
J Clin Invest. 1969 Jan;48(1):42-55
5765026
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1963 May 10;108:182-94
13970929
N Engl J Med. 1966 Feb 3;274(5):231-6
5902217
Nihon Rinsho. 1966 Jun;24(6):1002-9
6007430
Nature. 1954 Jan 16;173(4394):129-30
13132887
Can Med Assoc J. 1965 Apr 17;92:851-7
14282938
Ann Intern Med. 1968 Feb;68(2):423-48
4181616
J Clin Invest. 1955 Apr;34(4):629-36
14367517
J Clin Invest. 1966 Jul;45(7):1194-201
5967697
Am J Clin Nutr. 1964 Feb;14:109-11
14116430
Clin Sci. 1964 Oct;27:245-57
14220904
J Biol Chem. 1950 May;184(1):351-8
15422003
Biochem J. 1950 Jun-Jul;47(1):87-92
14791311
Anal Biochem. 1962 Aug;4:188-9
14481834
J Clin Invest. 1963 Nov;42:1720-34
14083163
J Clin Invest. 1952 Jun;31(6):572-80
14938436
N Engl J Med. 1967 Dec 21;277(25):1323-9
6081130
Ann Intern Med. 1968 Feb;68(2):355-77
5713919
Am J Physiol. 1959 Feb;196(2):238-44
13627153
J Clin Invest. 1968 Jun;47(6):1281-94
5653209
J Clin Invest. 1963 Jul;42:1172-8
14021853
J Clin Invest. 1963 Aug;42:1286-99
14060402
J Clin Invest. 1950 Dec;29(12):1614-9
14794791
Clin Sci. 1964 Aug;27:163-70
14203255
J Lab Clin Med. 1966 Dec;68(6):905-12
5926187
Am J Physiol. 1964 Dec;207:1237-41
14251925
Biophys J. 1962 May;2:289-316
13867976
Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1967 Feb;124(2):339-42
6019868
Gastroenterology. 1967 Jul;53(1):31-7
6067461
N Engl J Med. 1954 Jun 17;250(24):1021-7
13165948
J Clin Invest. 1953 Dec;32(12):1309-16
13108998
Clin Chim Acta. 1962 Nov;7:805-10
13999362
J Theor Biol. 1963 May;4(3):229-36
5875195
J Clin Invest. 1945 Nov;24(6):890-7
16695286
Biophys J. 1962 May;2:275-87
13867975
J Clin Invest. 1961 Aug;40:1442-52
13731540
Blood. 1965 Dec;26(6):823-9
5844155
Ann Intern Med. 1965 Dec;63(6):931-44
5320955
Clin Sci. 1961 Apr;20:161-70
13694425