How serious my hepatitis C?

Dear All,
last year i took HCV - RNA Test and the result is Positif
= 6.90 x 103 IU/ml
= 3.84 Log10

i don't understand those value
can u help describe me more detail about those information

and how do i know the level of my hepatitis C?

[Fathom500]

This value is the amount of virus in a certain quatitiy of blood. otherwise known as your "viral load". I believe the viral load you posted would be considered low. Other members will probably correct me if I'm wrong.

With Hep C viral load does not corrilate with severity of disease. Meaning you can have a high viral load and still have mild disease. On the other hand one may have a low viral load and have sever disease.

This number is most important during the treatment process to determine how well if at all if the treatment is working.

In order to determine how serious your Hep c is you would need a liver biopsy or at the very least one of the alternatives to biopsy (Fibrosure,Fibroscan). The latter not being as accuate as a biopsy but is less expensive and less invasive.

A liver funtion panel blood test would give a few more data points as well.

All of these data points taken together can give you a fairly good snapshot of your current condition.

Hope this helps

[Fathom500]

I forgot to mention that a CBC (complete blood count) test that includes a platelet count should also be performed.

[k03sn03]

Thank you for your information

regarding with your suggestion about a liver function panel blood test
is it SGOT(ASAT), GGT and SGPT(ALAT) test?

if i take another RNA test again this month, is the result still the same with my previous test? is there a possibility that result will increase significant (2 log increase for example)?

[Fathom500]

Yes the liver panel test would include a ALT and AST and GGT test. And yes the viral load may fluctate. I'm not sure about how much it will fluctuate. I do know that the fluctuation varies from person to person.

I have had 2 RNA tests within a month of each other and there was only a tiny fluctuation. Way less then an entire log.

Why are you so conserned about an increase in VL? It's possible to have a decrease as well. But unless your in treatment it really does not mean much.

[jmjm530]

Like "Fathom" says, viral load does not correlate with the amount of liver damage. For that you need a liver biopsy or minimally a thorough evaluation by a liver specialist (hepatologist) who will look at other markers such as platelet count, size of spleen, ultrasound, palpatation, ultrasound, etc. I say "hepatologist" because most gastroenterologists of GPs simply do not have enough knowledge in this field.

-- Jim