Efficiency of rifampicin in emergency treatment of severe hyperbilirubinemia : report of two cases and review of literature.

We showed in this study that rifampicin therapy is more effective than plasmapheresis and steroid treatment in diseases associated with severe hyperbilirubinemia. In our opinion, rifampicin treatment may suitable especially for patients with persistent hyperbilirubinemia, and it would be appropriate to use rifampicin as a challenge therapy to patients with severe hyperbilirubinemia, but liver function tests in these patients must be monitored closely.