In Meulengracht disease (thesaurus synonyms: Cholaemia familiaris simplex; Familial cholemia; Familial nonhemolytic bilirubinemia; Familial nonhemolytic jaundice; Familial nonhemolytic jaundice; Gilbert (Meulengracht) syndrome; Gilbert cholemia; Gilbert disease; Gilbert-Meulengracht syndrome; Icterus intermittens juvenilis; Congenital cholemia; Meulengracht disease; Meulengracht syndrome; Morbus (Gilbert-)Meulengracht; Morbus Gilbert; Morbus Gilbert-Meulengracht; Morbus Meulengracht; Neonatal jaundice in Gilbert-Lereboullet syndrome; Neonatal jaundice in Gilbert-Meulengracht syndrome; Neonatal jaundice in Gilbert-Lereboullet syndrome; Neonatal jaundice in Gilbert-Meulengracht syndrome; ICD-10-GM E80. 4: Gilbert-Meulengracht syndrome) is a disorder of bilirubin metabolism (bilirubin: bile pigment). The disease represents the most common familial form of hyperbilirubinemia (increased occurrence of bilirubin in the blood).
Meulengracht’s disease is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner.
Sex ratio: Men are more frequently affected than women.
Frequency peak: The disease occurs predominantly around the age of 20.
The prevalence (disease frequency) is about 9 % (in Germany).
Course and prognosis: Meulengracht’s disease is a harmless metabolic disorder. Therapy is not necessary. A slightly elevated bilirubin serum level seems to be associated with a reduced rate of respiratory diseases (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchial carcinoma/lung cancer). However, further studies to prove the definitive association need to follow.
