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1/370. Pilot study of screening for Wilson disease using dried blood spots obtained from children seen at outpatient clinics.

    Wilson disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disorder of copper accumulation leading to liver and/or brain damage. In this paper, we describe the results of a pilot study of screening for WD using ceruloplasmin determinations in dried blood samples. Specimens were collected from children aged 1 to 6 years who were seen at local paediatric outpatient clinics in the Miyagi Prefecture. We measured ceruloplasmin (CP) concentrations in 2789 children using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The mean value was 12.4 /- 3.95 mg/dl blood. Among these children, we identified two (case 1, male, 2 years old; case 2, female, 3 years old) with markedly reduced CP concentrations. Apart from low serum copper concentrations, their biochemical findings were almost normal, as were growth and development. To confirm the diagnosis, we analysed the WD gene and detected A803T/2871delC mutations in case 1 and R778L/G1035V mutations in case 2. We conclude that these children were presymptomatic WD patients. The CP level in dried blood samples from children aged 1 to 6 years appears to be a reliable marker for early detection of WD. ( info)

2/370. Wilson's disease with concomitant beta thalassaemia and factor v deficiency.

    A case of late presentation of Wilson's disease in a female with a thalassaemic trait is reported in whom diagnosis of factor v deficiency was made. Despite ignoring the disease for years the patient had compensated cirrhosis. She had a dramatic family history of Wilson's disease affecting at least two brothers and two sisters. Moreover, her haematologic problems were not clinically revealed until diagnosis had been made on the basis of suspicions arising from laboratory results. The therapy of choice for hepatolenticular degeneration was not feasible due to the patient's refusal. zinc salts were, therefore, administered. To our knowledge the association of such rare genetic disorders has not been reported. ( info)

3/370. Wilson's disease coexisting with viral hepatitis type C: a case report with histological and ultrastructural studies of the liver.

    Histopathological and ultrastructural findings in the liver of a female patient who suffered from Wilson's disease (WD) and viral hepatitis type C (HCV) are reported. light and electron microscopy examinations demonstrated a variety of morphological alterations--many of them frequently seen in livers of patients with WD and others that can be found in cases presenting HCV infection. The influence of coexistence of these two diseases on morphological changes is discussed. ( info)

4/370. Wilson's disease (hepatolenticular degeneration).

    Wilson's disease, or hepatolenticular degeneration, is a rare inherited disorder of copper metabolism which usually affects young people. Excess copper accumulates in the tissues, primarily in the liver, brain, and cornea. This copper deposition results in a wide range of hepatic and neurological symptoms, and may produce psychiatric illness. Hepatic involvement often occurs in childhood, while neurological deficits generally are detected at a later age. The disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion. Ocular findings are of particular importance because the corneal copper deposition, forming the Kayser-Fleischer ring,is the only pathognomonic sign of the disease. The structure of the ring and the presence of copper have been well established. An anterior capsular deposition of copper in the lens results in a characteristic sunflower cataract in some of these patients. Other ocular abnormalities have been described but are much less common. The pathogenesis of the disease and the basic genetic defect remain obscure. It is clear that there is excess copper in the tissues, but the mechanism of its deposition is unknown. It is in some way associated with a failure to synthesize the serum copper protein ceruloplasmin normally. Another theory suggests that an abnormal protein with a high affinity for copper may bind the metal in the tissues. The diagnosis may be suggested by the clinical manifestations and confirmed by the presence of a Kayser-Fleischer ring. In the absence of these findings biochemical determinations are necessary. The most important of these are the serum ceruloplasmin, the urinary copper, and the hepatic copper concentration on biopsy. Treatment consists in the administration of the copper chelating agent, penicillamine, and the avoidance of a high copper intake. This usually results in marked clinical improvement if irreversible tissue damage has not occurred. maintenance therapy for life is necessary in order to continue the negative copper balance. The detection and prophylactic treatment of asymptomatic individuals with the disease is especially important. Seven cases of Wilson's disease have been presented in order to illustrate many of the features which have been discussed, with emphasis on the ocular findings. ( info)

5/370. Fulminant Wilsonian hepatitis unmasked by disease progression: report of a case and review of the literature.

    Among various hepatic manifestations of Wilson's disease, fulminant hepatic failure is the most uncommon entity and requires a detailed clinicopathological analysis for correct diagnosis. Left unrecognized and without proper therapy, in time the disease rapidly progresses to death. We describe a 24-year-old woman who died within five weeks of the onset of Wilson's disease, which presented with a dramatic course. Discriminating features of the disease are discussed with regard to the literature. ( info)

6/370. Detection of a rare Wilson disease mutation associated with arylsulfatase A pseudodeficiency.

    We have studied a patient with Wilson disease (WD), belonging to a family segregating late-onset, dominant cerebellar ataxia. Analysis of the WD gene showed that the patient is a compound heterozygote, carrying the 14His1069Gln mutation from the father and the 8Gly710Ser mutation from the mother. The 8Gly710Ser is a mutation described previously only in a Swedish patient. Our patient is also homozygous for arylsulfatase A pseudodeficiency. This genetic defect, which has been reported in association with other neuropsychiatric syndromes, has not been described in WD. ( info)

7/370. Development of cytochrome P450 2D6-specific LKM-autoantibodies following liver transplantation for Wilson's disease -- possible association with a steroid-resistant transplant rejection episode.

    BACKGROUND/AIMS: Antibodies to cytochrome P450 2D6, also known as LKM1-autoantibodies, are characteristic for a subgroup of patients with autoimmune hepatitis, but can also occasionally be found in hepatitis c. We observed the occurrence of LKM1-autoantibodies 4 months after liver transplantation for Wilson's disease, in close association with a steroid-resistant rejection episode, in the absence of evidence for autoimmune hepatitis or hepatitis c. methods: Sera from several time points prior to and following transplantation were tested for LKM-reactivity by immunofluorescence, ELISA and Western blotting. Antigen specificity was confirmed by Western blotting analysis on different cytochrome P450 isoenzymes. The absence of viral hepatitis C and hepatitis G virus infection was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction. The serum of the organ donor was also tested. RESULTS: All the sera prior to transplantation and up to 4 months after transplantation were LKM-negative by all assay systems used. In the course of a steroid-resistant rejection episode at this time, the patient developed LKM antibodies at high titre (70% in inhibition ELISA) and has remained positive since (now more than 4 years). Reactivity was exclusively to the cytochrome isoenzyme 2D6. hepatitis c infection never occurred, but hepatitis G was transiently present many years prior to transplantation. The donor serum was negative for all autoantibodies and for hepatitis c and G virus infection. DISCUSSION: We here describe a patient developing LKM1-autoantibodies without evidence of autoimmune or viral hepatitis. The close temporal association with a transplant rejection episode suggests immunological mechanisms of rejection together with hepatocellular injury as a pathogenetic mechanism. ( info)

8/370. Circling seizures in a case with Wilson's disease.

    We report a case of Wilson's disease with circling seizures. Because of the existence of other types of frontal automatism and the EEG focus on the frontal regions, circling seizures of the patient were thought to originate from the frontal lobe. magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated large cavitary lesions on bilateral frontal lobes. The mechanisms of circling behavior are discussed in association with Wilson's disease. ( info)

9/370. Clinical expression of Menkes disease in a girl with X;13 translocation.

    Menkes disease is a rare X-linked recessive disorder of copper metabolism, characterised by progressive neurological degeneration, abnormal hair and connective tissue manifestations. We report on a girl with classic Menkes disease, carrying a de novo balanced translocation 46,X,t(X;13)(q13.3; q14.3). The translocation breakpoints at Xq13.3 and 13q14.3 coincide with the Menkes disease and Wilson disease loci, respectively. ( info)

10/370. Albumin dialysis: effective removal of copper in a patient with fulminant Wilson disease and successful bridging to liver transplantation: a new possibility for the elimination of protein-bound toxins.

    BACKGROUND: Acute liver failure may be the first manifestation of Wilson disease. If copper elimination fails, liver transplantation is the only remaining therapeutic option. Albumin dialysis, a new method for the removal of protein-bound toxins, was performed in a patient with fulminant Wilson disease. methods: An 18-year-old man with Wilson disease presented with hyperacute liver failure, hepatic encephalopathy III, oligo-anuric renal failure, haemolytic anaemia, rhabdomyolysis, pancreatitis and thrombocytopenia. He was treated with albumin dialysis using a 44 g/l albumin-containing dialysate and a slow dialysate flow rate (1-2 l/h). The other details of the technique used are similar to routine continuous veno-venous haemodiafiltration. RESULTS: One hundred and five milligrams of copper were removed by albumin dialysis within the first six treatments, resulting in normalisation of blood-copper levels. Successful treatment of the multiorgan failure was achieved. hepatic encephalopathy improved within 2 days. The patient initially refused liver transplantation. Therefore 35 additional albumin dialysis treatments were performed. Forty-three grams of bilirubin (an indicator of detoxified substances in the liver) and 196 mg of copper were removed. Multiorgan failure, in particular hepatic encephalopathy, did not recur during 59 days of treatment. Eventually, the patient agreed to liver transplantation and that was successful. CONCLUSION: Albumin dialysis is a new method for the effective treatment of fulminant Wilson disease, resulting in the removal of protein-bound toxins copper and bilirubin. It may serve as a new treatment option in hyperacute liver failure of other origin, acting as an extracorporeal detoxifier. ( info)
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