Guide To The Symptoms And Treatment Of Crigler-Najjar Syndrome

Crigler-Najjar syndrome occurs when high levels of bilirubin accumulate in the blood when red blood cells are broken down. In a normally functioning body, the substance goes through a chemical reaction caused by the liver, where it's turned from toxic unconjugated bilirubin to nontoxic conjugated bilirubin. From there, the substance is removed from the body. But in individuals with Crigler-Najjar syndrome, the liver is unable to adequately produce this chemical reaction, leading the unconjugated bilirubin to build to poisoning levels. The syndrome's key symptoms are apparent from birth or while a patient is still in infancy. There are two types of the syndrome.