disorders of nutrition
Wilson Disease
Symptoms of Wilson Disease
Symptoms usually begin between ages 5 and 35 but can begin anytime from age 2 to 72. In almost half of affected people, the first symptoms result from brain damage. They include tremors, difficulty speaking and swallowing, drooling, incoordination, involuntary jerky movements (chorea), personality changes, and even psychosis (such as schizophrenia or manic-depressive illness). In most of the other people, the first symptoms result from liver damages due to inflammation ( Overview of Hepatitis ) and eventually scarring ( Gold or greenish gold rings (Kayser-Fleischer rings) may appear around the irises (the colored part of the eye). These rings develop whencopperaccumulates. In a few people, these rings are the first sign of Wilson disease. People may have fatigue and weakness due to decreased numbers of red blood cells (anemia) because red blood cells rupture (causing Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia ). The urine may contain blood. Women may have no menstrual periods or have repeated miscarriages. Greenish gold rings around the iris of the eyes are a sign of Wilson disease. 