The indirect form of bilirubin, reflecting red-cell breakdown and liver handling.
Unconjugated, or indirect, bilirubin is the form of bilirubin that has not yet been processed by the liver. It is a calculated value, worked out by subtracting direct (conjugated) bilirubin from total bilirubin.
Bilirubin is a yellow pigment made when old red blood cells are broken down. The unconjugated form travels to the liver bound to albumin before being made water soluble.
A high unconjugated bilirubin usually means either red cells are breaking down faster than normal, called haemolysis, or the liver is processing bilirubin more slowly. The latter is common and harmless in Gilbert syndrome.
Looking at this fraction separately helps point to where a raised total bilirubin is coming from, which guides any further checks.
Aniva reads your result against research-backed ranges, not just the lab's wide normal. The reference shown below is specific to this biomarker.
Typical adult guidance:
| Result | Range |
|---|---|
| Unconjugated (indirect) bilirubin | up to about 17 µmol/L |
This is derived from total minus direct bilirubin, so it depends on both. Ranges vary by lab; read your result against the local interval.
Because it is calculated, it carries the error of both measurements. Light exposure lowers bilirubin in the sample, and fasting can raise unconjugated bilirubin slightly, especially in Gilbert syndrome.
Read alongside total and direct bilirubin, and with haemoglobin, reticulocytes and LDH when haemolysis is suspected.
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