Serum or 24 hr urine
umol/l and umol/24 hr
Wilson’s disease is an autosomal recessive disease due to accumulation of copper in the body in toxic amounts. It presents usually at age 5-20 with unexplained liver disease, neurological or psychiatric symptoms, or Kayser-Fleischer corneal rings.
There is an increased excretion of urine copper, but reduced serum copper. This is because caeruloplasmin, the protein which transports copper in serum, is reduced in Wilson’s disease even though the total body load of copper, and its urinary excretion, are markedly elevated.
Serum copper may be reduced in protein-losing states and raised by oestrogens, pregnancy, or inflammatory states.
14 days
Referred test
Can be added on to an existing request up to 4 days following sample receipt
Cardiff and Vale University Hospital
Specimen Labelling Procedure
8210
