Quality of life in patients with treated and clinically stable Wilson's disease.

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Wilson's disease (WD) has not been extensively studied. Therefore, the purpose of this cross-sectional study was to identify clinical and demographic factors influencing HRQoL in 60 treated, clinically stable patients with WD using a generic questionnaire, the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36). The level of disability and grading of WD multisystemic manifestations were assessed by the Global Assessment Scale for WD (GAS for WD). The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) scoring were also applied by the same trained interviewers. Lower scores on the SF-36 domains were found in patients with neurological compared with those with a predominantly hepatic form of WD. The HRQoL of patients with WD and psychiatric symptoms was also lower than that of those without them. Finally, significant inverse correlations were obtained between the various SF-36 domains and all the following: period of latency from the first symptoms/signs appearance and treatment initiation, MMSE and HDRS scores, and different domains of the GAS for WD.