Pitfalls

There are a number of pitfalls to be aware of in the assessment and management of jaundice:

• Assuming, if USS is negative, that there is no intraparenchymal disease of liver or pancreas
• False negatives for bilirubin in the urine occur with rifampicin
• False positives for urinary urobilinogen occur in acute porphyria
• High levels of Vitamin A or carotene can cause a patient with normal bilirubin levels to appear jaundiced