A clinical assessment of Wilson disease in patients with concurrent liver disease

To investigate variations in clinical epidemiology of Wilson disease in patients with concurrent liver disease and the effect of coexisting disease on current diagnostic algorithms.

Wilson disease is a rare disorder and few studies exist on diagnosis and natural history. Currently available tools have limited efficacy in complex patients, and the presence of coexisting diseases may further limit their use. More in-depth analyses of Wilson disease among complex patients with concurrent diseases will help improve algorithms for earlier diagnosis and treatment.

A retrospective cohort study using data from a large tertiary-care center to carry out a clinical assessment of Wilson disease among patients with coexisting liver disease.

Forty-two Wilson disease patients were identified; 9 had comorbid liver diseases. The average age of diagnosis was significantly older in patients with concurrent liver disease compared with those without underlying disease (49.1 y vs. 26.8 y, P<0.0001). Patients with concurrent liver disease had more evidence of cirrhosis at presentation (9/9, 100% vs. 15/33, 45.5%), and showed greater mortality (4/8, 50% vs. 4/29, 13.8%, P=0.0222). Without mutation analysis data, a definitive diagnosis of Wilson disease using Leipzig criteria was made in 44% of patients with concurrent liver diseases.

Patients with concurrent liver diseases were diagnosed with Wilson disease at significantly older ages, presented with more liver cirrhosis, and showed greater mortality. Mutation analysis is crucial for definitive diagnosis among complex cohorts and those with intermediate Leipzig scores.