Liver Bx results

[brianmo]

Hello Everyone.

What a week this has been.  I had my biopsy last tuesday and was not physially able to run again until Sunday. The pain afterwards was so intense. I was very scared but now I am feeling back to normal. I had a bx 5 years ago and did not feel a thing so this one  caught me off guard.   My question is this, I picked up the results today that were faxed from Hospital where I had the bx done to PCP and the nurse was unable to go over the test with me becasue she did not know how to read it.

Moderate inflammatory activity (grade 3 of 4)
Mild Portal fibrosis w/o bridging(stage 1 of 4)
Trichrome Stain confirms portal fibrosis and absence of cirrhosis
Iron stain shows no evidence of iron overload
Neg for Steatosis

This bx comapred to 5 years ago show degree of inflammatory activity is mildly increased in the current bx, however, the degree of portal fibrosis reamains the same  

Any insight?? I can not get in to see my Hep Doc until the end of month.


Mo

[Trinity4]

The fact that the fibrosis has not advanced in 5 years is excellent.  Stage one means you have only a minimal amount of fibrosis.  Inflammation throughout the course of hep c increases and decreases and can be effected by things like food, medication alcohol and rigorous exercise.  Grade 3 means at the time your biopsy was taken there was a bit more inflammation activity going on than when you biopsied the first time.  I would not be overly concerned with that.  

If you are considering treatment you certainly have time to wait for the newer drugs and in my opinion there really isn't any urgency to treat when the PI's do become part of SOC.  It's a personal choice as to when the time is right for that person to treat,  however, I have always maintained when fibrosis reaches stage 2 and above treatment should be considered.  The less fibrosis, the better odds of achieving SVR.

Trinity