Diagnosis and management of fulminant Wilson's disease: a single center's experience

Medical therapy is rarely effective in patients with fulminant Wilson's disease (FWD). Liver transplantation is limited by the lack of donor liver in most patients with FWD at the time of diagnosis. New Wilson's index, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) and Child-Pugh score are useful tools for decision-making of liver transplantation; however, none of them is an independent decisive tool. It is worthwhile to explore a more effective and practical therapeutic strategy and reevaluate the prediction systems for patients with FWD.

Nine patients with FWD associated with hemolytic crisis and fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) were investigated. The clinical presentation, prognostic score and medical therapies of the patients were analyzed.

In 7 of the 9 patients with FWD who received the comprehensive therapy of corticosteroid, copper-chelating agent (dimercaptopropansulfonate sodium) and therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE), 6 patients recovered from FHF. The remaining one had been improved through the comprehensive therapy but died of septicemia 51 days later. Two patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) died from liver failure in three or five hospital days without plasma exchange or chelating therapy. All of the 9 patients with FWD presented with acute hepatic failure, severe jaundice and mild to severe hemolytic anemia. No marked difference in the incidence of severe hemolytic anemia was detected between the survival and deceased groups. However, the incidence and the degree of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in the non-survival group were higher than those in the survival group. Unlike the deceased group, the survival group had no complications induced by bacterial infection. Compared to new Wilson's index, Child-Pugh score and MELD score, the variation of prothrombin activity (PTA) between the survival and deceased groups was more evident.

For patients with FWD, the episode of severe hepatic encephalopathy or/and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis indicates worse prognosis, and PTA is a recommendable predictor. An emergent liver transplantation should be considered for patients whose PTA is below 20%, or for those with severe HE or/and SBP. The comprehensive therapy of corticosteroid, copper-chelating agent and TPE is effective for patients without SBP and whose PTA is higher than 20%.