Relative exchangeable copper: A valuable tool for the diagnosis of Wilson disease

• Published in: Liver international 2018-02, Vol.38 (2), p.350-357
• Main Authors: Guillaud, Olivier, Brunet, Anne‐Sophie, Mallet, Isabelle, Dumortier, Jérôme, Pelosse, Martine, Heissat, Sophie, Rivet, Christine, Lachaux, Alain, Bost, Muriel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biomarkers - blood; Case-Control Studies; Child; Child, Preschool; Copper; Copper - blood; Diagnosis; Diagnosis, Differential; diagnostic test; Diseases; Early Diagnosis; Female; Hepatolenticular Degeneration - blood; Hepatolenticular Degeneration - diagnosis; Humans; Life Sciences; Liver; liver disease; Liver diseases; Male; Measurement methods; Middle Aged; Patients; Predictive Value of Tests; Wilson disease; Wilson's disease; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1478-3223; 1478-3231
• DOI: 10.1111/liv.13520

Background & Aims Measuring of the relative exchangeable copper seems to be a promising tool for the diagnosis of Wilson disease. The aim of our study is to determine the performance of REC for the diagnosis of Wilson disease in a population of patients with chronic liver diseases. Methods Measuring of exchangeable serum copper levels and relative exchangeable copper was performed in a group of Wilson disease patients at diagnosis or at clinical deterioration because of non‐compliance (group 1, n=9), a group of stable WD patients (group 2, n=40), and two groups of patients (adult and paediatric) followed for non‐Wilsonian liver diseases (group 3, n=103 and group 4, n=49 respectively). Results Exchangeable serum copper (N: 0.6‐1.1 μmol/L) was significantly higher in group 1 (mean 2.2±0.7 μmol/L) compared to the other three groups: group 2=0.9±0.4 μmol/L, group 3=1.2±0.4 μmol/L, group 4=1.1±0.3 μmol/L (P