A jaundiced male child with a hemolytic disorder is likely to show an increase in which type of bilirubin?

In a jaundiced male child with a hemolytic disorder, an increase in indirect bilirubin is expected. This type of bilirubin is formed from the breakdown of red blood cells. In hemolytic disorders, there is an accelerated destruction of red blood cells, leading to an overload of unconjugated (indirect) bilirubin because the liver cannot process it quickly enough.

The liver typically conjugates indirect bilirubin, transforming it into direct (conjugated) bilirubin, which is then excreted into bile. However, in cases of hemolysis, the production of indirect bilirubin outpaces the liver's ability to process it, resulting in elevated levels of indirect bilirubin in the bloodstream. This accumulation is what contributes to the jaundice observed in these patients.

The other options, which include direct bilirubin, alpha-fetoprotein, and prothrombin time, are not related to the immediate metabolic effects of hemolysis. Direct bilirubin would be elevated in conditions where there is obstruction of bile flow or liver dysfunction, while alpha-fetoprotein is a marker unrelated to bilirubin metabolism, and prothrombin time is a measure of coagulation that does not directly correlate with bilirubin