Biomaterial Database

Wilson's disease presenting as haemolytic anaemia and its successful treatment with penicillamine and zinc. 1996

H L Kong, and I L Yap, and Y K Kueh

Department of Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore.

Haemolysis is an uncommon first manifestation of Wilson's disease. We describe a young woman who presented with episodic haemolysis and abnormal liver functions; the diagnosis of Wilson's disease was not made until nine months later. She responded well to a combination of penicillamine and zinc. This report underscores the importance of considering Wilson's disease as a cause in a patient with haemolysis of uncertain aetiology, since the disease can be successfully treated in the early stages. the mechanism of oxidative damage to erythrocytes by the excessive copper and the present role of zinc therapy are also discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010396	Penicillamine	3-Mercapto-D-valine. The most characteristic degradation product of the penicillin antibiotics. It is used as an antirheumatic and as a chelating agent in Wilson's disease.	Dimethylcysteine,Mercaptovaline,beta,beta-Dimethylcysteine,Copper Penicillaminate,Cuprenil,Cuprimine,D-3-Mercaptovaline,D-Penicillamine,Metalcaptase,D 3 Mercaptovaline,D Penicillamine,Penicillaminate, Copper,beta,beta Dimethylcysteine
D003937	Diagnosis, Differential	Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures.	Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D004359	Drug Therapy, Combination	Therapy with two or more separate preparations given for a combined effect.	Combination Chemotherapy,Polychemotherapy,Chemotherapy, Combination,Combination Drug Therapy,Drug Polytherapy,Therapy, Combination Drug,Chemotherapies, Combination,Combination Chemotherapies,Combination Drug Therapies,Drug Polytherapies,Drug Therapies, Combination,Polychemotherapies,Polytherapies, Drug,Polytherapy, Drug,Therapies, Combination Drug
D005260	Female		Females
D006527	Hepatolenticular Degeneration	A rare autosomal recessive disease characterized by the deposition of copper in the BRAIN; LIVER; CORNEA; and other organs. It is caused by defects in the ATP7B gene encoding copper-transporting ATPase 2 (EC 3.6.3.4), also known as the Wilson disease protein. The overload of copper inevitably leads to progressive liver and neurological dysfunction such as LIVER CIRRHOSIS; TREMOR; ATAXIA and intellectual deterioration. Hepatic dysfunction may precede neurologic dysfunction by several years.	Cerebral Pseudosclerosis,Neurohepatic Degeneration,Pseudosclerosis,Wilson Disease,Copper Storage Disease,Hepatic Form of Wilson Disease,Hepato-Neurologic Wilson Disease,Hepatocerebral Degeneration,Hepatolenticular Degeneration Syndrome,Kinnier-Wilson Disease,Progressive Lenticular Degeneration,Westphal-Strumpell Syndrome,Wilson Disease, Hepatic Form,Wilson's Disease,Cerebral Pseudoscleroses,Copper Storage Diseases,Degeneration Syndrome, Hepatolenticular,Degeneration Syndromes, Hepatolenticular,Degeneration, Hepatocerebral,Degeneration, Hepatolenticular,Degeneration, Neurohepatic,Degeneration, Progressive Lenticular,Degenerations, Hepatocerebral,Degenerations, Neurohepatic,Disease, Copper Storage,Diseases, Copper Storage,Diseases, Hepato-Neurologic Wilson,Diseases, Kinnier-Wilson,Hepato Neurologic Wilson Disease,Hepato-Neurologic Wilson Diseases,Hepatocerebral Degenerations,Hepatolenticular Degeneration Syndromes,Kinnier Wilson Disease,Kinnier-Wilson Diseases,Lenticular Degeneration, Progressive,Neurohepatic Degenerations,Pseudoscleroses, Cerebral,Pseudosclerosis, Cerebral,Storage Disease, Copper,Storage Diseases, Copper,Syndrome, Hepatolenticular Degeneration,Syndromes, Hepatolenticular Degeneration,Westphal Strumpell Syndrome,Westphal-Strumpell Syndromes,Wilson Disease, Hepato-Neurologic,Wilson Diseases, Hepato-Neurologic,Wilsons Disease
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D000743	Anemia, Hemolytic	A condition of inadequate circulating red blood cells (ANEMIA) or insufficient HEMOGLOBIN due to premature destruction of red blood cells (ERYTHROCYTES).	Anemia, Hemolytic, Acquired,Anemia, Microangiopathic,Haemolytic Anaemia,Hemolytic Anemia,Hemolytic Anemia, Acquired,Microangiopathic Hemolytic Anemia,Acquired Hemolytic Anemia,Anaemia, Haemolytic,Anemia, Acquired Hemolytic,Anemia, Microangiopathic Hemolytic,Haemolytic Anaemias,Hemolytic Anemia, Microangiopathic,Microangiopathic Anemia,Microangiopathic Hemolytic Anemias
D015032	Zinc	A metallic element of atomic number 30 and atomic weight 65.38. It is a necessary trace element in the diet, forming an essential part of many enzymes, and playing an important role in protein synthesis and in cell division. Zinc deficiency is associated with ANEMIA, short stature, HYPOGONADISM, impaired WOUND HEALING, and geophagia. It is known by the symbol Zn.