Wilson's disease

No, I'm not entirely sure why I need a page in my EM studying, but here it is.

Headline
Etiology ↓copper incorporation into caeruloplasmin in hepatocytes, ↓ biliary copper excretion ⇒ Cu accumulation in liver, CNS. Autosomal recessive mutation in ATP7B
Epidemiology
Clinical presentation - children: liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver failure)
- Young adults: tremor, dysarthria, dysphagia, dyskinesia, dementia, parkinsonism, mood changes
- Kayser-Flesicher rings, hemolysis, hypermobile joints
Pathogenesis
Diagnostic investigations ➥ high urine Cu excretion (>100ug), ↓ serum Cu, ↓ serum caeruloplasmin (falsely low with ↓ protein)
➥ signs of haemolysis
➥ MRI: basal ganglia, fronto-temp, cerebellum, brainstem
Management Lifestyle: avoid copper-rich foods
➥ Penicillamine (500mg/6-8h PO) lifelong
➥ S/e: nausea, rash, ↓ WCC/Hb/Plt, lupus
➥ Monitor FBC, urinary Cu, monitor for ↓ WCC
➥ Pre-cirrhotic liver damage is reversible!
Prevention