Category: Wilson disease

The lifelong treatment of Wilson disease often involves a potent copper-chelating agent called penicillamine, but this medication is known to interfere with the absorption and function of a crucial vitamin, necessitating supplementation. Failure to supplement can lead to serious complications for patients undergoing treatment for this genetic disorder.

Wilson disease is a rare inherited disorder affecting approximately 1 in 30,000 people, where the body cannot properly excrete excess copper. For a patient with Wilson disease in which excretion of copper from the body becomes impaired, a carefully controlled low-copper diet is a vital part of managing the condition alongside medication.