Wilson disease with hepatic presentation in an eight-month-old boy

World J Gastroenterol. 2015 Aug 7;21(29):8981-4. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v21.i29.8981.

Abstract

Wilson disease is an autosomal recessive disorder of copper metabolism that can cause fatal neurological and hepatic disease if not diagnosed and treated. The youngest child with normal liver function reported so far is an 8-mo-old Japanese boy with low ceruloplasmin levels, and the youngest child with elevated aminotransferase ever reported so far is a 9-mo-old Korean boy with confirmed by genetic testing. Here we report an 8-mo-old Chinese boy presented with elevated liver enzymes, and low serum ceruloplasmin level. Genetic analysis of ATP7B gene detected two heterozygous disease causing mutations (c.2621C>T/p.A874V and c.3809A>G/p.N1270S), and parental origins were determined. Persistent elevation of serum aminotransferase in this infant was normalized after zinc therapy. To our best knowledge, this is the youngest patient with elevated liver enzymes ever reported worldwide. We hope that this will raise awareness among pediatricians, leading to earlier diagnosis, timely treatment, and better clinical outcome.

Keywords: ATP7B; Copper; Hepatic presentation; Infant; Wilson disease; Zinc.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / genetics
  • Alanine Transaminase / blood
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases / blood
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Cation Transport Proteins / genetics
  • Ceruloplasmin / analysis
  • Copper-Transporting ATPases
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Gluconates / therapeutic use
  • Hepatolenticular Degeneration / blood
  • Hepatolenticular Degeneration / diagnosis*
  • Hepatolenticular Degeneration / drug therapy
  • Hepatolenticular Degeneration / genetics
  • Heterozygote
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Liver Function Tests
  • Male
  • Mutation
  • Phenotype
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Cation Transport Proteins
  • Gluconates
  • Ceruloplasmin
  • Aspartate Aminotransferases
  • Alanine Transaminase
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases
  • ATP7B protein, human
  • Copper-Transporting ATPases
  • gluconic acid