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Prevalence of Wilson's disease in Poland
Introduction:
The prevalence of Wilson's disease (WD) varies across the globe and differs between individual European countries. There is a higher WD prevalence in Southern Europe, while it is lower in Northern and Eastern Europe, with expected prevalence rise through 2030.
Objectives:
To assess the real-world prevalence of WD in Poland.
Patients And Methods:
The number of health services, prescription data for D-penicillamine, and zinc sulphate were retrieved from the National Health Fund (NFZ), while sick leaves and disability pension records were obtained from the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS).
Results:
The number of patients reported with the ICD-10 E83.0 code, who had at least one service from the NFZ, varied from 355 in 2013 to 1160 in 2025. The estimated prevalence of patients with WD in the Polish population in 2025 was 30.94 per 1 million (1 per 32,318 inhabitants). The number of patients with WD who filled at least one prescription for D-penicillamine ranged from 257 to 391 per year, and the estimated number of patients treated with zinc sulphate ranged from 59 to 629 per year. The majority of patients were reported in the biggest cities: Warsaw, followed by Kraków and Wrocław. There was a sharp decline in disability pensions, falling from 105 in 2016 to just 20 in 2024, while sick leave continued to increase.
Conclusions:
Estimated WD prevalence in Poland is comparable to the prevalence in neighboring countries. Many patients remain professionally active. Expanding screening programs may improve early detection.
