Re: hepc blood tests

Posted By John on September 14, 1998 at 20:13:35:

In Reply to: Re: hepc blood tests posted by John on September 11, 1998 at 13:56:39:






Recent Rslts:Hepatitis C AB
Rslts:Repeatedly Reactive#
Albumin  4.6
Total bilirubin  1.3 H
Direct biirubin  0.23
ALK Phosphate    54
AST              29
ALT              52
Ferritin         72
White blood ct   5.9
Hemoglobin      15.9
Hematrocrit     46.8
Mean corp HGB   31.7
Platelet count  296
Protime          14.7
Immunoglobulin G  1480
    "          A   135
    "          m   215
Ceruloplasmin       28
Alpha-1-antitrypsin


ct-scan     normal
A few other blood work tests
                                                              were run and all were normal. No HCV RNA,PCR test have been done.
What do I expect now?
Does this blood work tell us much?
  Can You State with certainty were I am in the spectrum of liver disease based on the level of the liver enzymes and the other tests run?
What test will be needed to determine if I have mild inflammation or signifiant diease?
If I am found not to have significant disease what is your advice re. treatment, wait for better therapy or go with what is now avaiable?
Is recovery likely w/o treatment?
How do you determine and what is the difference between significant disease and mild infection?
I realize HCV carriers should be advised not to drink alcohol at all, but certainly ,if they must , not to exceed one drink a day. Your opinion on this please? Would say 3 drinks in one day once per week be as bad or worse than one drink per day?
   should my wife be tested? kids?
Also previous tests were preformed by my "family doctor" in may 97 as follow:
         ALP = 49
         AST = 37
         ALT = 40
In the May of 94 tests were likwise preformed:
         ALT = 68
         GGT = 32
      ALK PH = 58
  This doctor suggested the ALT was elevated but this was not a problem and I should not worry I was in great shape. ( clearly I was not dx'ed by this                                           fellow)
In your opinion will chronic liver invariaby progress to cirrhosis?
Finally please explain inttermittent viremia, and (sorry, one more) can one tell how long they have had the virus? Direct Bilirbin should have read 0.26 not 0.23.        Thank You J