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HR, Jim, mremeet, Goofy Dad, anyone that has knowledge of pcr testing?
Hi everyone,
Some of you have been following the saga of my "29" at week 12 as well as APK's. I do think/hope my 29 at week 12 is an "artifact" or false positive but for my own peace of mine, I want to comfirm that by getting the most sensitive and accurate pcr test available. Asked my doctor about it yesterday and the study can't provide one more sensitive than the one we've all been discussing but he told me I was welcome to get one on my own.
There's a lot of confusion in my mind surrounding these tests. Searched the archives and found something Goofy Dad posted in Nov.06
http://www.natap.org/2005/HCV/122805_04.htm
Conclusions: Among patients treated with combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C, the TMA test detects HCV RNA in all specimens that are Amplicor-positive, as well as an additional 21.6% that are Amplicor-negative. The increased sensitivity of the TMA test can be helpful in identifying patients with low levels of HCV RNA who are likely to relapse when therapy is stopped. Furthermore, among patients with EVR and a negative Amplicor test at W20, persistent detection of HCV with the TMA test during therapy predicts failure to achieve SVR.
*FDA-approved for detection of HCV RNA as evidence of active infection.
Can someone explain to me like I'm five years old what the above means. Also, HR posted on 11/12/06 the following:
(Continued below)
Some of you have been following the saga of my "29" at week 12 as well as APK's. I do think/hope my 29 at week 12 is an "artifact" or false positive but for my own peace of mine, I want to comfirm that by getting the most sensitive and accurate pcr test available. Asked my doctor about it yesterday and the study can't provide one more sensitive than the one we've all been discussing but he told me I was welcome to get one on my own.
There's a lot of confusion in my mind surrounding these tests. Searched the archives and found something Goofy Dad posted in Nov.06
http://www.natap.org/2005/HCV/122805_04.htm
Conclusions: Among patients treated with combination therapy for chronic hepatitis C, the TMA test detects HCV RNA in all specimens that are Amplicor-positive, as well as an additional 21.6% that are Amplicor-negative. The increased sensitivity of the TMA test can be helpful in identifying patients with low levels of HCV RNA who are likely to relapse when therapy is stopped. Furthermore, among patients with EVR and a negative Amplicor test at W20, persistent detection of HCV with the TMA test during therapy predicts failure to achieve SVR.
*FDA-approved for detection of HCV RNA as evidence of active infection.
Can someone explain to me like I'm five years old what the above means. Also, HR posted on 11/12/06 the following:
(Continued below)
If you don't mind, I'd like to add a Part B to your question. It's related and has been on my mind. If the intent is to get a pcr after tx ends and the meds have been discontinued, when is the best time to get such a sensitive pcr if the intent is to catch relapse as soon as possible. Is the answer 1 week, 2 weeks - a monht?
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