Can you help me interpret these results?

HCV RNA QUANT
Result = 7.3
Log IU = 18,400,000 IU/ML
Flag = H
Reference Range = < 1.9

Normal LFT's

How bad is this?

[FloridaMouse]

I'm a true believer that they only way to know how "bad" a liver is is by way of a biopsy.  Example, I have a pathetically low viral load of 90,000, normal LFT's (AST and ALT) yet my biopsy revealed Stage 3, Grade 3 damage.

The viral load is pretty useless in determining how "bad" things are and is mainly a tool used to guage how well someone is responding to treatment.   Do you know your genotype yet?  Do you have a biopsy scheduled?

Mouse

[GrandOak]

Mouse is correct, the viral load simply confirms you have the virus and provides a guage to measure if you respond to treatment should you decide to treat.  LFT's only indicate if your liver is under or recovering from attacks against it. The biopsy is the only true measure of the current state your liver.

All your results show is that your liver is currently producing normal enzymes and you do have a good measure of the virus in your blood stream.  I've found that the following link provides a good explaination of the viral load:

http://www.hepatitis-central.com/hcv/hepatitis/loadchart.html

[Tombstoner]

Do you think the doctor will recommend treatment at this time for this amount of virus?

[tulips27]

Your viral load DOES NOT determine whether you treat or not. My VL is 8mil. Your treatment is based upon liver damage which can only be determined by a biopsy. Some people treat with 0 damage however they want to be rid of the virus. Your viral load flucuates all the time. When you begin treatment we try to get the VL  down to UND>

Unless your treating VL means nothing.
Again a liver biopsy is the ONLY way of finding out the true state of your liver.
GOOD LUCK TO YOU

[GrandOak]

Let's not forget about Genotyping the virus as well.  If seem to recall that VL does play more than a passive indicator role for Geno 3 infections.

[Tombstoner]

Could someone with 18,400,000 VL have no liver damage?
So because he hasw 18,400,000 that doesn't mean he's on his way out right?

[tulips27]

yes its possible there could be no liver damage. Your VL has nothing to do with amount of damage,
The VL shows active HepC virus,

Try not to worry it only makes you old and gives you wrinkles!
Have a biopsy to find out thats the only way to determine liver damage.

ANd if you should have minimal damage its not the end of the world you can treat!
Try to take it easy.
There will be alot of things in life unfortunately we have NO CONROL over--

[stacyb321]

I have a high viral load of 12 million but no liver damage.  My biopsy says Stage 0, Grade 1.  So yes high viral load does not mean liver damage.

[Upbeat]

viral load is just the amount of virus you have. It dosen't mean much because everyones body handles the virus differently. Some people handle alot and some not so much.  Its a number used to determine what percentage of virus is being killed during treatment.  They say that even if you don't clear during treatment that it still helps. I have a hard time with that. If viral load dosen't have anything to do with liver damage then what good does it do to lower it?  This is indeed a strange virus.

                                                                                                                                         Ron

[tulips27]

I have a VL of 8mil and am stage 2--
VL has no bearing UNLESS you are treating.

Hope you feel better and come to terms with it soon.