Help with 12wk PCR

[Maui lover]

Good evening.  Just checked the fax and got hubby's 12-wk PCR results.  I'm having trouble interpreting it.  He's Geno 3 and was UND at week 4, but he had to stop Ribavirin for 21 days at week 5 due to anemia.  Anyhoo, his results are as follows:
HCV RNA, Quant, bDNA  <615
HCV RNA, Quant, bDNA  <2.79

Does this mean his viral load is 2.7 million?  He started at 4.6 million.  The first PCR was done at LabCorp and this one is Quest so they read differently.

Thanks!

[jmjm530]

Of course check with your doctor -- always check with your doctor, but I'm almost positivec it means your husband is non-detectible down to the limits of the test which is 615 IU/ml. So CONGRATULATIONS!!! Next time, you might want to ask the doc to do a more sensitive quantitative PCR or a Qualitative. A good readily avaliable test is Quest Diagnostic's Heptimax. LabCorp also has equally good tests and I'm sure HR will tell you the best one if you ask.

Keep up the good work! Be well,

-- Jim

[jmjm530]

Just re-read your post and now realized your husband stopped ribavirin for 21 days. If it were me, I therefore might ask for one of the more sensitive tests discussed, prior to week 24. In fact as early as your insurance allows just to make sure he is completely non-detectible and can stop at week 24 which I presume is the plan. I think you should have every reason to be confident that he will be non-detectible with the more sensitive tests but I'm kinda a belt and suspenders guy when it comes to testing.

Be well,

-- Jim

[Maui lover]

Thanks Jim!  You are always so helpful to everyone here and it is much appreciated.  We will definitely check with the doc tomorrow and we will look into some more sensitive testing as well.  Ok, I'm feeling a little better now.  =)

[Hepatitis Researcher]

2.79 is the 10log615. this explaines the strange double notation. Sorry not a good test to see if someone is responding well.Heptimax or NGIs ultraqual are the ones you need to be neg. on. Hepatologist in Maui?

[Maui lover]

I'm confused.  So based on what you're saying this isn't a good result?  

I'm not in Maui, I just wish I was!  I'm actually in Northern CA.

[bobbyullc]

less than 615 is = to less than 2.79 log/ und for that test and most likely undectable period.
good news,
boby

[Hepatitis Researcher]

Its a good result but a more sensitive test should have been used to give you more certainty.

[jmjm530]

You're definitely non-detectible to the limit of the test. The result is the best you could have gotten with that test, so do not stress on that.

But if you want to know with more certainty that the virus is gone, you will have to take a different test -- a more sensitive test like Heptimax by Quest Diagnostics of the one HR mentioned. Just tell your doctor you want to take Heptimax or  NGIs ultraqual.

[jmjm530]

Sorry for the garbled sentence above. What I was trying to say is that you should ask your doctor for one the following two tests.

They are:

Heptimax by Quest Diagnositics
http://www.questdiagnostics.com

(Or)

NGIs Ultraqual by LabCorp.
http://www.labcorp.com/


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[Maui lover]

Thanks guys, I appreciate your responses.  I was slightly worried there for a minute!  We see the doc next week, so we'll discuss the more sensitive testing then.