1. Evoked potentials in assessment and follow-up of patients with Wilson's disease.
- Author
-
Grimm G, Oder W, Prayer L, Ferenci P, and Madl C
- Subjects
- Administration, Oral, Adult, Brain Chemistry, Child, Copper analysis, Evaluation Studies as Topic, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Hepatolenticular Degeneration drug therapy, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Monitoring, Physiologic, Penicillamine administration & dosage, Penicillamine therapeutic use, Prospective Studies, Time Factors, Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem drug effects, Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory drug effects, Hepatolenticular Degeneration physiopathology
- Abstract
Treatment of 9 patients with Wilson's disease was prospectively studied with evoked potentials and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Oral penicillamine therapy led to a decrease in auditory brainstem (ABP) and somatosensory (SEP) conduction times in 6 and 4 neurologically symptomatic patients, respectively. ABP and SEP were normal in 3 other symptom-free patients. MRI showed cerebral lesions in 4 of 7 patients. Quantified indices of brain atrophy were unaffected by treatment. ABP and SEP may reveal a reversible component of the disease that cannot be detected by MRI, and may be a more sensitive measure of treatment efficacy.
- Published
- 1990
- Full Text
- View/download PDF