Liver Results

[beckshaf]

I was fine and and had routine blood work done which showed very elevated Alt and Ast - both over 1000.  I had a gall bladder attack and they could not remove it because I tested Positive for Hep C.  I have not idea when I contracted this - I do have tatoos.  Had a liver biopsy - Grade 1 - Stage 5 (What does this mean????)  I do not have insurance at this time - What does this mean and what should I do?

Help
Becky

[copyman]

having LFT's that high is not typical of HCV. ALT & AST over a 1000 indicates serious damage is being done to your liver. put the HCV aside and find out the cause of that. I would see a hepatologist (liver specilist)
good luck

[Bill1954]

Oh, okay; that helps knowing that. Grade typically refers to inflammation, while stage refers to fibrosis, or scarring of the liver.

A decent resource to refer to is Janis and Friends; I’ll try to link you to their section on interpreting biopsy results:

http://janis7hepc.com/home8.htm

If you scroll through that page, they’ll offer quite a bit of info on this subject. Be sure to bookmark their home page for future reference as well. Also, take a peek at the column on the right hand side of the page titled ‘other HCV information’; this covers most aspects of the disease in general.

If you have minimal damage, a case could be made to postpone treatment in favor of new drugs currently in late phase development; they’ll be used in conjunction with the current interferon/ribavirin to increase efficacy and perhaps reduce treatment time as well.

Welcome to the discussion group—

Bill

[beckshaf]

I got the verbal report over the phone from my GI doctor, the one that ordered the liver biopsy in the hospital.  The Metavir scale gave me a Stage 1 - minimal scarring however the Knodel score was 5 - mild inflamation.  I thought this was the grading.  I am so confused.  It does not seem too serious according to the charts.  I was trying to get inforrmation on grading and staging.  I will talk to the doctor when I get insurance.  I am just in the beginning stages, trying to get information without paying a fortune.  The results came from a GI doctor.  We have not discussed the treatment for Hep C yet.

Becky

[Bill1954]

Hi Becky,

Sorry to hear of your diagnosis; it must have come as quite a surprise. The results of your liver biopsy are interesting; the scale typically used is the Metavir scale, and it stages liver disease from F0 through F4… a stage 5 report might be using the Ishak scale.

In any event, I believe it says you have significant fibrosis, or scarring of the liver. I don’t know why they wouldn’t perform the gall bladder surgery; many of us have had surgery with Hep C (HCV).

Have you discussed this with your primary care physician yet? He should refer you to either a GI doc or a hepatologist (liver doctor) for further consultation. Did anyone discuss the possibility of treatment for the Hep C?

Welcome to the discussion group, and take care—

Bill