Wilson disease developing osteoarthritic pain in severe acute liver failure: A case report

Wilson disease (WD) is a rare copper metabolism disorder with symptoms including hepatic disorders, neuropsychiatric abnormalities, Kayser-Fleischer rings, and hemolysis in association with acute liver failure (ALF). Osteoarthritis is a rare manifestation of WD. We experienced a case of WD with arthritic pain in the knee and liver cirrhosis. Here, we report the clinical course in a WD patient with arthritic pain and liver cirrhosis receiving combination therapy with Zn and a chelator and discuss the cause of arthritic pain.

We present an 11-year-old boy who developed osteoarthritis symptoms and ALF, with a New Wilson Index Score (NWIS) of 12. He was diagnosed with WD with decreased serum ceruloplasmin and copper levels, increased urinary copper excretion, and ATP7B gene mutations detected on gene analysis. There was improvement in the liver cirrhosis, leading to almost normal liver function and liver imaging, one year after receiving combination therapy with Zn and a chelator. Moreover, his arthritic pain transiently deteriorated but eventually improved with a decrease in the blood alkaline phosphatase levels following treatment.

Patients with WD who develop ALF with an NWIS > 11 may survive after treatment with Zn and chelators, without liver transplantation, when they present with mild hyperbilirubinemia and stage ≤ II hepatic encephalopathy. Osteoarthritis symptoms may improve with long-term Zn and chelator therapy without correlation of liver function in WD.