Behind the Mystery: Wilson Disease

Wilson disease is a rare, chronic disorder characterized by copper accumulation in organs and tissues that, if left untreated, may result in liver, neurologic, and psychiatric symptoms that progress over time. To understand more about how this disease affects patients, we met with Ed, who waited over 50 years for a diagnosis. He details the effect this disease had on his family and career, and his hope for patients to get diagnosed sooner. We also met with Dr. Michael Schilsky, Medical Director of Adult Liver Transplant at Yale-New Haven Transplantation Center who has 40 years of experience managing Wilson disease patients.  He shares the effects Wilson disease can have on the liver, and tests that can be performed if a patient is suspected of having the disease. Additionally, Dr. Amar Patel, Assistant Professor of Neurology at Yale Medicine explains the neurological and/or psychiatric symptoms patients with Wilson disease may experience. Diagnosing Wilson disease can be difficult due to the diverse and non-specific symptoms; therefore, physicians need to be familiar with the disease as a rare, multifaceted disease, with symptoms which often mimic other more common diseases.

Sponsored by Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., American Liver Foundation, and Wilson Disease Association. US/UNB-W/0008

To learn more, visit:

• www.wilsonsdisease.org
• www.liverfoundation.org/for-patients/about-the-liver/diseases-of-the-liver/wilson-disease
• www.rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/wilson-disease