Fecal urobilinogen

Condition Serum Bilirubin Urine Urobilinogen Urine Bilirubin Fecal Urobilinogen... 

The efficiency of steroid therapy in causing a dramatic fall in plasma bile pigment concentration in hepatitis is well known the mode of action of these drugs has not, however, been established. It appears unlikely that they have a chloretic effect (C4, Sll), and the report of Katz et al. (K1) that treatment results in a decreased excretion of fecal urobilinogen suggests that there is either a decrease in the rate of hemoglobin breakdown or that another pathway of catabolism is employed which does not involve bilirubin. 

Lack of urobilinogen in the urine and feces indicates biliary obstruction stools are whitish ( clay-colored ) owing to the absence of bile pigment. Urinary and fecal urobilinogen excretion increases in hemolytic anemia. 

Fecal urobilinogen ueually variei directly trith rate of breakdown of RBC. 

Normally, most of the colorless urobilinogens formed in the colon by the fecal flora are oxidized there to urobilins (colored compounds) and are excreted in the feces (Figure 32-16). Darkening of feces upon standing in air is due to the oxidation of residual urobilinogens to urobilins. 

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