Final answer:
Hemolysis of a blood specimen can lead to falsely elevated results in bilirubin tests. Conditions like sickle cell disease or lupus erythematosus can cause this hemolysis, interfering with the accuracy of the tests.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bilirubin tests can be affected by the hemolysis of a blood specimen, which can lead to falsely elevated results. Hemolysis refers to the breakdown of red blood cells, and when this occurs, the damaged cells release hemoglobin into the blood. The excess hemoglobin can interfere with the accuracy of bilirubin tests and cause the results to be higher than they should be. This can be seen in conditions like sickle cell disease or lupus erythematosus.