What characterizes hepatic jaundice?

Hepatic jaundice is primarily characterized by tissue damage in the liver. This condition is associated with various liver diseases, including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver tumors, which impair the liver's ability to process bilirubin. When liver cells are damaged, their ability to conjugate and excrete bilirubin diminishes, leading to an accumulation of unconjugated bilirubin in the bloodstream. This accumulation is what causes the yellowing of the skin and eyes that is characteristic of jaundice.

The other options pertain to different forms of jaundice. For instance, common bile duct obstruction is more closely linked to post-hepatic or obstructive jaundice, where bilirubin cannot be excreted due to a blockage. Increased destruction of red blood cells relates to hemolytic jaundice, where excessive breakdown of red blood cells leads to an overload of bilirubin production. Lastly, elevated levels of urobilinogen are often seen in situations of increased bilirubin conversion (such as with hemolysis) and are not specifically indicative of hepatic jaundice. Thus, the defining feature of hepatic jaundice is indeed the tissue damage occurring in the liver.