Challenging diagnosis of Wilson's disease: A case report

J Pak Med Assoc. 2024 Jan;74(1):169-171. doi: 10.47391/JPMA.9637.

Abstract

Wilson's disease is arare inherited disorder of copper met abolism. If le f t untre ated, i t can turn into a multi systemic disease with copper deposition in the liver, brain, a nd other tissues. Diagnosi s of Wilson's is delayed in Pak ist an by many ye a rs on average due to va riabl e presen tations. In ad olescents, the initial s igns a re more likely to b e neuropsychiatric. Here we present a case of Wilso n's disease that pre sented initially with he patic symptoms and did not have signs specific to the di sea s e such as Kayser-Fleischer rings. Our case was diagnosed to be Wilson's Disease on ly on further investigat ions and s ubsequently the patient was treated with chela tion therapy using D-Penicillamine.Wilson's Disease should be kept in mind as a differential diagno sis in adolesce nt patients that present with unexplained acute liver failure and cytopenias without any neurological symptoms, as a missed diagnosis can prove to be fatal.

Keywords: Wilson’s Dis ea se, coppe r toxicity; Kayser- Fleisch er rings, diagnosis, family sc reening, c lini cal variability, anticopper therapy..

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Brain / diagnostic imaging
  • Copper
  • Hepatolenticular Degeneration* / diagnosis
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Penicillamine / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Copper
  • Penicillamine