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Treatment Options for Wilson Disease

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Management of Wilson Disease

Part of the book series: Clinical Gastroenterology ((CG))

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Abstract

Once a diagnosis of Wilson disease (WD) is confirmed, treatment must be started and is continued lifelong. This treatment of WD is multifaceted and includes medical therapy to reduce excess copper, dietary changes to minimize copper intake, and potentially speech and physical therapy depending on symptomatology. Symptomatic patients are usually treated with copper chelators (binders), the choice of which depends on patient and physician preference as there is no clear evidence of efficacy for one over the other. Treatment of asymptomatic patients or those in the maintenance phase can involve use of zinc therapy. In cases where medical therapy does not work or is not able to work quickly enough, liver transplantation can be considered.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Royal Surrey County Hospital, Surrey, UK

    Claire Kelly & Marinos Pericleous

  2. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Surrey, Surrey, UK

    Claire Kelly & Marinos Pericleous

  3. Division of Digestive Diseases and Transplant and Immunology, Departments of Medicine and Surgery, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA

    Michael L. Schilsky

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  1. Claire Kelly
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  2. Marinos Pericleous
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Correspondence to Michael L. Schilsky .

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  1. Yale New Haven Transplantation Center, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

    Michael L. Schilsky

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Kelly, C., Pericleous, M., Schilsky, M.L. (2018). Treatment Options for Wilson Disease. In: Schilsky, M. (eds) Management of Wilson Disease . Clinical Gastroenterology. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91527-2_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91527-2_3

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