Changes in bilipubin cleapance under phenobarbital treatment in patients with various cholaemic syndpomes

Summary Eight patients, 5 affected by typical Gilbert's disease, 3 by posthepatitis hyperbilirubinaemia, were treated with phenobarbital (100–150 mg per os daily) for 2- 3 weeks. The bilirubin loading test was performed before and after phenobarbital treatment. Both the percentage of bilirubin retention and the value of constant a were seen to return to normal at the end of the 4th hour following treatment. At the same time a decrease was observed in constant b and an increase in constant m . The difference in the values observed was statistically significant as regards the percentage retention (p a (p m (p