Late onset fulminant Wilson’s disease:A case report and review of the literature

• Published in: World journal of gastroenterology : WJG 2014-12, Vol.20 (46), p.17656-17660
• Main Authors: Weitzman, Ella, Pappo, Orit, Weiss, Peretz, Frydman, Moshe, Haviv-Yadid, Yael, Ben Ari, Ziv
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenosine Triphosphatases - genetics; Adenosine Triphosphatases - metabolism; Age of Onset; ATP7B; Biopsy; Case Report; Cation Transport Proteins - genetics; Cation Transport Proteins - metabolism; Copper-transporting ATPases; disease; DNA Mutational Analysis; Fatal Outcome; Female; Fulminant; gene; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Hepatolenticular Degeneration - diagnosis; Hepatolenticular Degeneration - genetics; Hepatolenticular Degeneration - metabolism; Hepatolenticular Degeneration - therapy; Humans; Late; Liver - metabolism; Liver - pathology; Middle Aged; Mutation; onset; Phenotype; Predictive Value of Tests; Time Factors; Wilson’s
• ISSN: 1007-9327; 2219-2840
• DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i46.17656

Wilson’s disease(WD)is an autosomal recessive inherited disorder of hepatic copper metabolism.WD can be present in different clinical conditions,with the most common ones being liver disease and neuropsychiatric disturbances.Most cases present symptoms at<40years of age.However,few reports exist in the literature on patients in whom the disease presented beyond this age.In this report,we present a case of late onset fulminant WD in a 58-year-old patient in whom the diagnosis was established clinically,by genetic analysis of the ATP7B gene disclosing rare mutations(G1099S and c.1707+3ins T)as well as by high hepatic copper content.We also reviewed the relevant literature.The diagnosis of WD with late onset presentation is easily overlooked.The diagnostic features and the geneticbackground in patients with late onset WD are not different from those in patients with early onset WD,except for the age.Effective treatments for this disorder that can be fatal are available and will prevent or reverse many manifestations if the disease is discovered early.