Back in 2002

[mirceani]

when I did the 8 weeks of pegintron and Riba, the first test I did before start of Tx, was
HCV RNA, QN, PCR and showed >600000 IU/ml, with a reference range of <600
After about 8 weeks, the test done was HCV RNA QN, Expanded, which showed 452000 IU/mL, with a reference range <6000

Dr said it was not working and stopped.
He clearelly used two different ranges for measurement (thank you Jim for leting me know that), so I am wondering now (5 years later) if maybe he made an error , comparing apples with oranges, when he had me stop it
Is it possible that I could have been a responder back then , based on above numbers?


Thank you

[mirceani]

yes I am
Pegasys (180) and Riba, 6 pils per day
Dropped 2 logs at week 4
Tonight will be injection #6

[jmjm530]

Sounds like you're in very good hands. Are you currently treating, and if so, what protocol are you on?

-- Jim

[mirceani]

Thank you Jim

I go to Mt Sinai to dr Schiano, coleague with Dr Dieterich (same department)
I do like dr Schiano a lot, and his credentials are impressive.

So I believe he's doing a good job with me right now, besides being a nice man, always answering emails, etc

[jmjm530]

Don't think it's comparing apples with oranges because IU/ml is IU/ml, but it is difficult to accurately compute your log drop because of the pre-tx vl test your doctor chose.

All we apparently know is that you were had >600,000 IU/ml pre-tx and were 452,000 IU/ml at week 8. Doctors like to see at least a one-log drop per month and overall at least a two-log drop by week 12.

So working backwards, you would have needed a starting viral load of 45,200,000 pre-tx to have made that two log drop by week 12. Not sure what would have been needed by week 8 -- maybe someone can do the math -- but unless you had a very high pre-tx viral load, it did not seem you were responding well. Still, given the fact your pre-tx viral load was unknown, he might have continued to week 12 after making some adjustments.

I see from your profile that you're in NYC. Some very fine liver specialists  there who could go over these numbers and stats and point you in the right direction. Ira Jacobsen at Cornell and Douglas Dieterich at Mount Sinai are two of the best. "MyOwn" also has a third doctor in NYC, she might share if you send her a private message. And if you want to travel, Nezam Afdhal at Beth Israel Boston is excellent and the travel bonus is that he has a Fibroscan Machine which is a non-evasive way of determining liver damage. You may or may not qualify for the Fibroscan so best check on that first.

-- Jim