Posted: July 24th, 2017

An otherwise healthy 3-week-old boy is brought to the physician’s office because of jaundice and dark urine for the past 2 weeks. He has hepatomegaly, and his stools are loose, claycolored, and acholic. Serum conjugated bilirubin concentration is increased. Which of the following is the most likely cause of the hyperbilirubinemia?

An otherwise healthy 3-week-old boy is brought
to the physician’s office because of jaundice and
dark urine for the past 2 weeks. He has
hepatomegaly, and his stools are loose, claycolored,
and acholic. Serum conjugated bilirubin
concentration is increased. Which of the
following is the most likely cause of the
hyperbilirubinemia?
(A) Defect in cholesterol synthesis
(B) Deficiency of glucuronosyltransferase
(C) Hemolysis
(D) Inflammation of the terminal ileum
(E) Obstruction of the biliary system