normal ALT AND AST

[Mike1A84]

If you have normal alt and ast would that means the degree of inflamation?from what I heard that is the case.I am waiting for telapavir to come out next year,but I was wondering with a normal liver panel I wanted to know does that indicate mild inflamation?anyway let me know and dont ban me for my random queston here.

[Kristina538]

I tx'd the second time successfully in 2008.  After my first tx in 1992 I worked very very hard to get 'normal' ALT/AST's.   When I deviated from good food/no alcohol they would rise.    
After 2000, they rose anyway regardless of my eating regimen, and I celebrated getting 'close' to normal range rather than higher.   By the time I treated again, I wasn't even looking for a normal result.   My specialist told me that they all became normal at 'end stage liver disease'.

[copyman]

for the most part normal enzymes is a good indicator of little inflamation but like desrt posted cannot be used alone to rule out serious liver fibrosis.

If you want to avoid a biopsy get a FibroSure blood test or a FibroScan. There is a FibroScan machine in LA. This will at least give you an idea of where you stand. And definitely rule out cirrhosis.

Good luck

[desrt]

ALT and AST can appear normal in a person with advanced damage simply because there is so little of the liver left to produce these enzymes. The most accurate way to gauge your grade of inflammation is biopsy.