Liver bilirubin UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity in chronic nonhemolytic unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia of adults.

Ten adult patients with chronic nonhemolytic unconjugated (indirect) hyperbilirubinemia were analyzed by determining bilirubin uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase activity according to a more physiological and sensitive method (9 control cases, 0.457 +/- 0.163 nmole/mg protein/min). There was no overlap of the enzyme activities of 2 cases with Crigler-Najjar syndrome (type II) (0.006 nmole/mg protein/min on average) and 6 cases with Gilbert's syndrome (0.051 +/- 0.016 nmole/mg protein/min). The enzyme activities in 2 patients with post-hepatitic hyperbilirubinemia were within the normal range. A new classification of nonhemolytic unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia in adults is proposed according to the results of this enzyme activity and the recent data on the gene mutation of this enzyme.