Zinc gluconate for Wilson disease

Abstract

Due to financial constraints, a patient with Wilson disease required transitioning his maintenance pharmacotherapy from zinc acetate to zinc gluconate. Herein, we report the clinical and laboratory outcomes of this switch and review the relevant literature on the treatment of Wilson disease with zinc. Zinc gluconate can be a viable treatment option for patients with Wilson disease and may be associated with fewer gastrointestinal side effects than zinc acetate and, accordingly, improved long-term compliance and improved clinical outcomes.