What is Meulengracht’s disease?
The so-called Morbus Meulengracht (or Gilbert’s syndrome) is a not uncommon disease or more precisely anomaly, named after the Danish internist Jens Einar Meulengracht (* April 7, 1887, † 1976). About 5 percent of the population is affected, although the symptoms can vary greatly.
The cause is liver dysfunction
The cause of Meulengracht’s disease can be found in the process of hemoglobin degradation and consists in a functional disorder of the liver, which at times cannot completely or sufficiently break down the red blood pigment. Blood cells are normally recycled after about 120 days. The red blood pigment, hemoglobin, is broken down in the bone marrow, spleen and liver in several steps and converted into a water-soluble form.
In Meulengracht patients, however, the absorption and processing of a breakdown product that is necessary for this purpose, the unconjugated bilirubin, is disturbed. As a result, temporarily increased concentrations of the yellow blood pigment (= bilirubin) can be found in the blood.
Symptoms of Meulengracht’s disease
Symptoms include yellowing of the skin and eyes. In patients between the ages of 15 and 40, abdominal cramps and indigestion can occur intermittently. This mainly affects thin patients after alcohol or nicotine consumption (including passive smoking ). Hunger and fasting in particular are also triggers for symptoms and must be avoided at all costs, which is in contrast to other digestive disorders. Occasionally, flatulence , non-specific abdominal pain and skin rash are also given as consequences of the disease.
There is also often an intolerance to alcohol, nicotine, hunger and stress. After consuming alcohol or nicotine, the bilirubin value increases, which is accompanied by increased yellowing of the eyes and skin. Fatigue (form of exhaustion), malaise, nausea , and sometimes vomiting can result. Bile salt levels and other liver function tests are usually normal, so there is no itching of the skin like in other diseases that cause yellowing of the skin.
disease cannot be cured
Meulengracht’s disease can be clearly diagnosed by nicotinic acid or fasting tests. Another diagnostic option is a molecular genetic test. Meulengracht’s disease cannot be cured. It is possible to treat some symptoms, but this is usually not done because the health impairment is too small and the side effects would not justify it.
The suffix “juvenilis” refers to the fact that people are only affected by the disease at a young age. From around the age of 40, it grows out.