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Research article| Volume 119, ISSUE 1, P85-90, October 1993

Copper-64 metabolism in two patients with non-Wilsonian movement disorders and copper deficiency

  • A.S. Wierzbicki
    Correspondence
    Correspondence to: Dr. A.S. Wierzbicki, Department of Chemical Pathology, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, 369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9NH, UK. Tel.: (81) 746-8086; Fax: (81) 746-8085.
    Affiliations
    Department of Chemical Pathology, Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London SW10 9NH, UK

    Department of Chemical Pathology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
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  • N. Patel
    Affiliations
    Department of Chemical Pathology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
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  • K. Evans
    Affiliations
    Department of Medical Physics, Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, London WC1N 3JH, UK
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  • P.T. Lascelles
    Affiliations
    Department of Chemical Pathology, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK
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      Abstract

      Copper-64 studies are presented of 2 patients with non-Wilsonian movement disorder and with abnormal copper handling. Both patients differred from the usual phenotype of non-Wilsonian low copper movement disorder as they had choreiform movement disorders with an onset in the first decade; one patient lacked significant intellectual impairment. Both patients had reduced serum total copper and marginal free copper and caeruloplasmin levels, and both patients were capable of incorporating 64Cu2+ into caeruloplasmin but the second case did so at markedly reduced level. Both showed slightly increased basal and stimulated urinary copper loss compared to normal controls with the rate in patient 1 being capable of leading to copper depletion. Liver copper content was normal in both cases. These 2 patients add to the reports of cases with copper deficiency and movement disorder in whom copper chelation therapy is unlikely to be beneficial.

      Keywords

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