Logo Medical Science Monitor

Call: +1.631.470.9640
Mon - Fri 10:00 am - 02:00 pm EST

Contact Us

Logo Medical Science Monitor Logo Medical Science Monitor Logo Medical Science Monitor

01 August 2003

Treatment of Wilson’s disease

Irena Jabłońska-Kaszewska, Ewa Dąbrowska, Anna Drobińska-Jurowiecka, Bogdan Falkiewicz

Med Sci Monit 2003; 9(3): 5-8 :: ID: 428587

Abstract

On the basis of literature review and own experiences we presented the method of treatment of Wilson`s disease. Causative treatment has been impossible so far, although gene therapy could be real in the future. Nowadays the principle of treatment is the elimination of the excess of easily mobilized copper by chelating agents or blocking the intestinal absorption of copper. Chelation therapy, aimed at mobilizing copper from the affected organs and promoting its excretion in the urine or stool is the most important. The major chelating agent is d-penicillamine, which is quite effective but not without some side effects.Alternative chelating agents such as trientine and tetrathiomolybdate have also been successfully employed. Zinc salts are also of therapeutic value. They promote copper excretion by inducing the synthesis of metallothionein in the intestine, thereby blocking copper absorption from the gut. Zinc salts have almost no side effects. They cannot be used as an initial treatment, but are very effective for maintenance therapy. The chelation therapy is ineffective in patients with acute liver failure with encephalopathy and hemolysis. In these cases, liver transplantation is the only hope for survival. Liver transplantations in patients with dominating psychoneurological symptoms are open to discussion.

Keywords: Wilson’s disease, treatment, review

Add Comment 0 Comments

Editorial

01 April 2024 : Editorial  

Editorial: Forty Years of Waiting for Prevention and Cure of HIV Infection – Ongoing Challenges and Hopes for Vaccine Development and Overcoming Antiretroviral Drug Resistance

Dinah V. Parums

DOI: 10.12659/MSM.944600

Med Sci Monit 2024; 30:e944600

0:00

In Press

06 Mar 2024 : Clinical Research  

Prevalence and Variation of Medical Comorbidities in Oral Surgery Patients: A Retrospective Study at Jazan ...

Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.943884  

08 Mar 2024 : Clinical Research  

Evaluation of Foot Structure in Preschool Children Based on Body Mass

Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.943765  

15 Apr 2024 : Laboratory Research  

The Role of Copper-Induced M2 Macrophage Polarization in Protecting Cartilage Matrix in Osteoarthritis

Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.943738  

07 Mar 2024 : Clinical Research  

Knowledge of and Attitudes Toward Clinical Trials: A Questionnaire-Based Study of 179 Male Third- and Fourt...

Med Sci Monit In Press; DOI: 10.12659/MSM.943468  

Most Viewed Current Articles

17 Jan 2024 : Review article  

Vaccination Guidelines for Pregnant Women: Addressing COVID-19 and the Omicron Variant

DOI :10.12659/MSM.942799

Med Sci Monit 2024; 30:e942799

0:00

14 Dec 2022 : Clinical Research  

Prevalence and Variability of Allergen-Specific Immunoglobulin E in Patients with Elevated Tryptase Levels

DOI :10.12659/MSM.937990

Med Sci Monit 2022; 28:e937990

0:00

16 May 2023 : Clinical Research  

Electrophysiological Testing for an Auditory Processing Disorder and Reading Performance in 54 School Stude...

DOI :10.12659/MSM.940387

Med Sci Monit 2023; 29:e940387

0:00

01 Jan 2022 : Editorial  

Editorial: Current Status of Oral Antiviral Drug Treatments for SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Non-Hospitalized Pa...

DOI :10.12659/MSM.935952

Med Sci Monit 2022; 28:e935952

0:00

Your Privacy

We use cookies to ensure the functionality of our website, to personalize content and advertising, to provide social media features, and to analyze our traffic. If you allow us to do so, we also inform our social media, advertising and analysis partners about your use of our website, You can decise for yourself which categories you you want to deny or allow. Please note that based on your settings not all functionalities of the site are available. View our privacy policy.

Medical Science Monitor eISSN: 1643-3750
Medical Science Monitor eISSN: 1643-3750