Which of the following statements is a sign of jaundice?

Study for the NCLEX Hepatic and Biliary Exam. Enhance your knowledge with flashcards and multiple choice questions, featuring hints and explanations. Get prepared and boost your confidence for test day!

Multiple Choice

Which of the following statements is a sign of jaundice?

Explanation:
Jaundice is yellow discoloration from elevated bilirubin in tissues. The sclera—the white of the eye—is one of the first places bilirubin deposits become visible, so yellowing of the sclera is the classic and most specific sign of jaundice. While bilirubin can also darken urine when conjugated bilirubin is excreted in the urine, or whiten stools when bile pigments don’t reach the gut, the other options describe signs that aren’t characteristic of jaundice (frothy, light-colored urine; dark brown stools; blue-tinged mucous membranes). Thus, yellowing of the sclera best indicates jaundice.

Jaundice is yellow discoloration from elevated bilirubin in tissues. The sclera—the white of the eye—is one of the first places bilirubin deposits become visible, so yellowing of the sclera is the classic and most specific sign of jaundice. While bilirubin can also darken urine when conjugated bilirubin is excreted in the urine, or whiten stools when bile pigments don’t reach the gut, the other options describe signs that aren’t characteristic of jaundice (frothy, light-colored urine; dark brown stools; blue-tinged mucous membranes). Thus, yellowing of the sclera best indicates jaundice.

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