Still <25 but not UND

[GreatBird]

My eight-week results came in (although they were actually 7 weeks and 2 days because they had me come in early to test Hgb) and I'm not UND yet. To recap:

Day 1  1320K
2 wk  940K
4 wk  629K
6 wk  <25 (Boceprevir/placebo added at 4 wk)
7.2 wk  <25

I'm somewhat bummed that it isn't UND because this takes me off the possibility of the 6 month arm of the trial (at least I think so), and also those are some lovely statistics for those who go UND at 8 wks on the Boceprevir. But, I am still close and at least I'm not going back up!

Still on Procrit. I wish I liked it as much as everybody seems to. It actually makes me feel not so good for a day or two afterwards. Nothing specific, just generally uncomfortable.  

Does anyone else find that they are cold all the time and have a hard time getting warm? I'm wondering if it isn't the interferon effect . . .

[jmjm530]

We also have clarity with CanDoMan who is UND per his lab report, below. Very important to get your own copies of lab reports as this thread is a good example of the confusion that can exist given the way these tests are reported.

On my lab report.

HCV RNA PCR TAQMAN 2.0
HCV RNA............... HCV RNA not detected

[jmjm530]

<25 IU/ml detected
<25 IU/ml undetected

What's so difficult to understand about this? ...
GreatBird is detected, and miracle05 is undetected.
-------------------------
Unless I'm reading things wrong, neither has hard copies of the  test results so we're just relying on a nurse's interpretation as understood on the telephone. For that reason, it's unclear to me.

The only clear result is Foofighter's, who has the actual lab report and she is detectible because her lab report reads:

My lab report reads:

HCV RNA PCR  Taqman 2.0
HCV RNA: <25 IU/mL HCV RNA detected  (Clinically significant: YES)  

[zazza]

"At weeks 6, 8 & 10 I have been detectable at that damn <25. I just can't clear."

There is something that is called "minimal residual viremia", which can persist all through tx. This is one reason why it is important to have tests with a greater sensitivity than 50 IU/ml.

foofighter, I hope you will be UND at week 12. Are you really going to quit anyway?

[zazza]

<25 IU/ml detected
<25 IU/ml undetected

What's so difficult to understand about this? It is two completely different test results. Just like kciav says above: "This assay cannot determine an accurate titer below a certain level (...), so it is possible to go below the stated count and still be detected."

GreatBird is detected, and miracle05 is undetected.

[foofighter]

Whatever happened with your rollover? You were going to have to wait until April 28th last I recall. The stop and restart... which others thought might be a good thing based on jmjm's study about controlled stop/starts.

Or did they make a change and offer the immediate start with boceprevir? Any news?

[Max60]

"Detectable but no quantifiable" sounds fishy to me.

My four week pcr came back 18 iu/ml detectable to <5. .. that's easily understood. A friend pointed out that I was probably undie less than 24 hours after the blood was drawn.

I expect that's the case here. I would certainly ask someone with greater knowledge to explain the results.

good luck always,

Max