How to read viral loads

[2ndtimearound7744]

My viral load pre-treatment was 7.84E+6 IU/ml   6 weeks later it is now 2.39E+3 IU/ml   how do I read this?  This is my second go around and then in 2004 they did it in millions.....etc  .....  all I know is I am on Victrellis Triple and happy that in 6 weeks it has gone down this much but not with out many side effects

[flyinlynn]

ok I take most of that back. The number is just exponential entry not the natural log. I think need to refresh my math mojo

:-)

[flyinlynn]

I was refering to the E+6 to E+3 this refers to a natural logarithmic function

The natural log is useful in biology and other scientific analysis, as well as financial applications such as economic growth.

Basically the natural log gives you the time needed to reach a certain level of growth.

Or in our situation level of decrease.

I am sure you have heard about an earthquake being rated say as a 3 on the Richter Scale. That is a logorithmic scale. You may also have heard an earthquake of 4 is 10 times stronger than a 3 and an earthquake of 5 is 100 times stronger than a 3 that is because of logorithmic progression.

So in that light and if my math skills are skillin today. I think it means a 1,000 fold decrease from E to the +6 to E to the +3 in your viral load

But enought of the math lesson  lol

Again congrats and hope you acheive SVR soon!

Lynn

[hrsepwrguy]

Cool, looks like your doc is on top of things, I agree with can-do, that is a great lead in response, good luck with the rest of tx

[can-do-man]

I was also on Vic, you have had a great response so far. It's quite clear with that kind of drop pre victrelis you are heading in the right direction.

Best to you.

[2ndtimearound7744]

sorry Lynn looks like your right  I am not good at math and was used to it being with all the zero's etc when I was on first go around treatment....  

[2ndtimearound7744]

No Copyman:   The first viral load was before treatment of 7.84...... the second one was done 4 weeks in and that was 2.39......  I started Victrellis part on Jan 18th  the day after the last viral load was done... so both of those loads were pre Victrellis......  they want it gone  by the March 12  viral load..... so positive thinking

[2ndtimearound7744]

pretreatment was 7.84  and now for Jan 18th one was 2.39  that's 5 and a bit!!!!  none the less I am happy...... mentally I feel good not so brain fogged.....  however physically the side effects some days are so terrible..... especially around shot day and the next 2.......  We are going to beat this

[2ndtimearound7744]

I started my treatment on Dec 19 and this test was done Jan 18 ...... so it came down considerably..... the one on Feb 12  I have not received that one yet......I was happy just to see it come down that much and I was not yet on the Victrellis at that point  I started that on Jan 18th .....

[hrsepwrguy]

"My viral load pre-treatment was 7.84E+6 IU/ml   6 weeks later it is now 2.39E+3 IU/ml "

"I am on Victrellis Triple"

Just want to point out that on vic you should have had a viral load test ran at 4 wks, just after the lead in with peg/riba, is this that test ? or did your doc wait until the 6 wk point to run the test ?

[copyman]

Have the doctors expressed any concern that you did not clear virus yet? Maybe it is different with victrellis but I know with incivik they want you clear by 4 weeks to have the best chance of SVR.

Hope you are clear next blood test or might want to stop and look at switching to one of the other drugs.

Best of luck

[hrsepwrguy]

Exponential format

Large numbers are often expressed in exponential form, that means a number, multiplied by 10 with an exponent. To convert this to normal numbers, append as many zeroes to a "1" as the exponent says, and multiply this with the number. In some lab report, the viral load was "Hep C RNA Quant 17.3 x 10(exp) 5 equivalents/ml". So, with 5 as exponent, you have to append 5 zeroes to a "1", that gives 100000, and multiply this with the number 17.3, that gives 1730000 as the viral load. Normally this would be written 1.73x10(exp)6, or 1.73x106 , (which are again the same number).

17.3x105 = 1.73x106 = 1,730,000

http://www.hepatitiscentral.com/hepatitis-c/what-is-viral-load.html

[hrsepwrguy]

Follow the link for an explanation and how to calculate in to IU/ml

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/LOG-to-I-U/show/349275

[MeWithC]

I thinks it's just as you read it...It's a expression...we have to do the math to comprehend...at least I do.

[flyinlynn]

3 log drop in viral load congratulations!

Good luck, hang in there and hope you achieve SVR soon!

Lynn