Major Depressive Disorder in an International Multisite Wilson Disease Registry

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Psychiatry
• Genetics

Background:

• Psychiatric symptoms are common in Wilson disease (WD), but systematic assessments are lacking.
• This study addresses the need for validated measures in assessing psychiatric conditions in WD patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence and clinical correlates of major depressive disorder (MDD) in Wilson disease (WD).
• To analyze data from a multisite international WD registry to understand the impact of MDD on patient well-being.

Main Methods:

• Structured psychiatric evaluations using validated instruments (MINI, PHQ-9, GAD-7, PSS) were performed on 62 patients in the WD registry.
• Data collected at enrollment over 3 years included laboratory tests, and hepatology and neurological assessments.

Main Results:

• 37% of patients had a lifetime history of MDD, and 6% had an active major depressive episode.
• MDD was associated with significantly worse mental health quality of life, higher anxiety, perceived stress, and neuroticism.
• No significant differences were found in physical health QOL, liver/neurological disease severity, or copper/liver tests between patients with and without MDD.

Conclusions:

• Lifetime MDD is highly prevalent in Wilson disease and negatively impacts mental health quality of life.
• MDD in WD is not significantly associated with liver disease, neurological disease severity, or routine laboratory tests.
• Routine screening for depression is recommended for all patients diagnosed with Wilson disease.