4 week blood Can someone please help me understand!!!

[helphubby82]

Hubbys 4 week blood results show

HCV RNA- <5  <5IU/ml
HCV RNA <0.70 <0.70 LOG IU/ML

Does this mean und or det? any help is greatly appreciated thanks

[helphubby82]

Thank you all! He goes to his DR On Monday so we will know more,You guys are great I dont think we could get through this without you!! you  all  are truly a blessing! praying you all SVR.

[willbb]

The heptimax test has a LLOQ (lower limit of quantification) and LLOD (lowest limit of detection) of 5 IU/ml, meaning it can't detect the virus if it is below 5 IU/ml meaning UND with in the parameters of this test
-------------------------------------------------
HPG is correct on this.The <5 IU/ML on the Heptimax test infers an "Undetectable "result regardless of of it not saying UND. or  DET. on the lab report.

Congrats to you and your hubby...the RVR is an  excellent predictor of success.

Best  to you..
Will

[hrsepwrguy]

The heptimax test has a LLOQ (lower limit of quantification) and LLOD (lowest limit of detection) of 5 IU/ml, meaning it can't detect the virus if it is below 5 IU/ml meaning UND with in the parameters of this test, there is only one other test available that tests lower than this test and it's LLOD is 2 IU/ml, if it was detectable with in the parameters of this test it would be able to put a number on it between 5 IU/ml up to 50,000,000 IU/ml.

[Idyllic]

Hoo-boy. I made two posts just like yours in the beginning. Mine was not the Heptimax but I felt the same way you do.  


In one case a few folks thought I was UND since their labs said the same thing as mine and they were UND. The problem I had is that my copy did not say that. I knew I was coming off as a petulant child but I wanted my results to state Undetected (or whatever) like everyone else! It drove me crazy.

Anyway, Pooh happened to have the same results as I did when she was at week four and she copied them into her post. I finally understood after that. Actually a lot of people had been telling me the same thing but for some reason it sunk in....

My week eight labs ended up clearly stating NOT Detectable. Later on my doctor told me that I was detectable at four weeks and not eight weeks or twelve weeks.

That's why I think you should just come out and ask your doc♫

[hrsepwrguy]

No the test only test down to 5 IU/ml so <5 IU/ml means it is not detectable with in the parameters of the test (UND)

It is also below the suggested testing limits set forth by the drug co's protocol

Laboratory Tests
HCV-RNA levels should be monitored at weeks 4 and 12 and as clinically indicated. Use of a sensitive real-time RT-PCR assay for monitoring HCV-RNA levels during treatment is recommended. The assay should have a lower limit of HCV-RNA quantification equal to or less than 25 IU per mL and a limit of HCV-RNA detection of approximately 10-15 IU per mL.

http://pi.vrtx.com/files/uspi_telaprevir.pdf


Laboratory Tests
HCV-RNA levels should be monitored at Treatment Weeks 4, 8, 12, and 24, at the end of treatment, during treatment follow-up, and for other time points as clinically indicated. Use of a sensitive real-time
reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay for monitoring HCV-RNA levels during treatment is recommended. The assay should have a lower limit of HCV-RNA quantification of equal to or
less than 25 IU per mL, and a limit of HCV-RNA detection of approximately 10 to 15 IU per mL.

http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/v/victrelis/victrelis_pi.pdf

[helphubby82]

Thanks for the link but Im still confused so that means its still det?

[hrsepwrguy]

5 IU/ml is the LLOD of the heptimax test

HEPTIMAX  Reportable Range, IU/mL 5-50,000,000

http://www.questdiagnostics.com/hcp/topics/heptimax/files/hep_c.pdf

[ceanothus]

Thanks for that info about this different kind of test, now I remember Will's post, but I sure didn't remember until you brought it up - I hate this brain fog, and I'm really glad my poor response was quickly corrected.

[helphubby82]

thanks for responding yes it is a Heptimax,Just dont understand why its not wording det or und

[Idyllic]

Is it the Heptimax?
I am reluctant to cut and paste but it looks like the same question another person asked a couple of months ago that Will responded to:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/Am-I-UND/show/1701775

[helphubby82]

Thanks for responding there is no det or und wording on the report but there is a in range and out of range and the Hcv RNA is in the" in range column"

[hrsepwrguy]

If 5 IU/ml is the LLOD (lowest limit of detection) of the test then yes <5 IU/ml means UND.

Is this all that was given to you, is there not any wording or parameters of the test ?

[ceanothus]

The report should also include one of these words/phrases: "det, detected, und, undetected" somewhere on the report, and that's the most important part. I hope one of the experts here will come on and explain those numbers better, my understanding of them is limited to the knowledge that if it gives any number for the HCV RNA, then it means it found some, and therefor it is not UND. Lots of us are not achieving UND until 6 or 8 weeks into tx, and in most cases the odds of SVR are still pretty good. Best wishes!