Viral load PCR results question

[Fathom500]

Hi All,

   I am trying to determine my VL. The test report from Quest Diagnostics is as follows:

HCV RNA,   Quantitative         3,890,000 H     < 50 IU/mL

The next line reads

HCV RNA, Quantitative           6.59 H      < 1.70 Log IU/mL

Both are in International units.

Thanks in advance
Fathom

[Fathom500]

Thanks for the info and kind words of encouragement.

NY girl,

  Yes, One thing I have learned from this board is no matter what a Dr tells you, get a second opinion from the folks here. I have read alot of your posts and they give me motivation and hope.

Tippyclubb,

  I'll be following your Tx so keep posting. Hope your rash get's better. And that you get the 28 week ARM of the trial. I'll be cheering you on from the sidelines.

[Tippyclubb]

My fibrosure was good but I don't believe it. Too many years infected, and too many beers to have no damage as the FB states. But we shall see.

Don't be to sure about not believing it.  Same thing with me, been infected for 30 or more years and drank heavily for 15 or so years.   Imagine my surprise when biopsy revealed Stage 1--talk about being shocked.  So its possible for you to have low liver damage.

[nygirl7]

Will do. I am going to ask them to fax me the report so I won't have to wait to see the Dr to find out if it's good or bad.

Good luck with the biopsy Fathom!  I didn't know how to read the results (they don't say stage 3 or anything) so I ended up having to call the doctor anyway but the guys in here are pretty good at deciphering until he gets ahold of you, even if you do always want to double check with the hep doc. My PCP told me I had no fibrosis somehow and so I was pretty shocked when it turned out later that I was a grade3/stage3. Dont ask your PCP is that lesson!

Good luck. You might just be one of the lucky ones, I hope that Fibro was right.

[Fathom500]

Will do. I am going to ask them to fax me the report so I won't have to wait to see the Dr to find out if it's good or bad. My fibrosure was good but I don't believe it. Too many years infected, and too many beers to have no damage as the FB states. But we shall see.

[jmjm530]

Forgot to add -- good luck with the biopsy and let us know how you fare! As a heads-up, make sure you ask your doc for your own copy of the biopsy report.

[jmjm530]

The major labs appear to be in competition who can make their viral load test results the most incomprehensable. Hard to say which one is winning because most patients -- and believe it or not a sizable number of their doctors and nurses -- don't have a clue to what the results are. Quest actually is one of the better ones. If you decide to treat, ask for Quesjt's "Heptimax" test. It goes down to 5 IU/ml so better information once treatment is underway. Yes, that means it's doubly confusing to read so when your NP throws her hands up, just post the results here and we'll give you the skinny :)

-- Jim

[Fathom500]

Thanks guys. It was the logarithmic fromat that thru me off. It's crystal clear now.

Biopsy is tommorow. Then I'll have all the pieces of the puzzle.

[FlGuy]

Just to fathom the unfathomable; that's in a ml of blood. You have about 5,600 ml's of blood.

[FlGuy]

Your viral load is 3,890,000 per ml of blood. The test can detect down to 50 iu per ml, which is the test's sensitivity.

The second line relates to the first.  3,890,000 is 6.59 in logarithmic format and 1.70 is equal to 50 in log format.

[jmjm530]

Your viral load is 3,890,000 IU/ml. Forget all the rest of the stuff, it's just confusing and redundant.

This is considered a "high" viral load, but that's pretty normal for most who are infected with Hepatitis C. Viral load does not correlate with liver damage. You need a biopsy for that.