Do I need treatment

[virgils]

My HCV rna viral count is 1140000  <50. ( I was told that this # is 11 thousand)  and my alt is 6.06  <1.7   Do i need to take interfuron?

[Andiamo1]

Only a doctor could tell you that. Have you been to a hepatologist?

The decision is based on the condition of your liver (determined by a  biopsy), the number of years you have had the disease, your lifestyle (type of work...), and your general health.

[FlGuy]

The results you posted are a little bit jumbled, I think.  Yes, it looks like your viral load is 1,140,000 (1.140.000 depending where you live).  That is the same as 6.06 in logarithm terms.  The '50' is the lower limit of the test and is the same as 1.70 in logarithm format.
It does not appear that you ALT is any of the numbers your posted.

Whether you need to take interferon requires a lot more information than you provided.

[nygirl7]

Yes it appears as FLGuy said that your viral load is over one million.  VL is not a way to determine if your liver damage is signifcant or not.  You need a biopsy to determine this and this will let you know if treatment is needed immediately or if you have time to wait.

Please talk to your doctor.  If you are speaking to a general practitioner...you NEED to go to a hep doctor because most GPs have no clue (even though they pretend they do) about hep - you NEED to see someone who has knowledge of the disease and it's treatment and see's many patients.

[IAmTheWalrus]

FLGuy - Good deciphering! You should be a gumshoe. :)

[IAmTheWalrus]

Ditto what NYGirl says. Also, your viral genotype is needed as it is an improtant predictor of success and length of treatment.

[newleaf09]

It's the condition of your liver which determines whether you are in a hurry to treat the disease or not.  If HCV has not damaged you much up to this point, you could wait a few years and include one of the new drugs (protease inhibitors to be released in 2011) in your treatment to improve your odds.  Only a liver biopsy can give you a definitive answer.

[mikesimon]

Stating as fact "(protease inhibitors to be released in 2011) " is misleading because it's really only speculation. At this time, no one really knows for sure when the PIs will be available. I read a financial article last week from a reputable site that projected that Telaprevir could be released as early as late 2010. But, I wouldn't state it as a fact. The "protease inhibitors" as far as I know are not all to be "released" at the same time so it's really stretching to say that (protease inhibitors to be released in 2011) as if all of the PIs are hitting the market in 2011. I think Telaprevir is leading the pack but it's not even certain that it will be available sooner than Boceprevir - although I am betting it will be.
I have seen this blanket statement several times - protease inhibitors to be released in 2011 - and it's not really accurate...as far as we know. So maybe we should make it clear that it's one of the the prevailing guesses - 2011 - it's not a fact.
Mike

[Isobella]

Good point Mike.  I remember hearing they would be here in 2010...but the Phase 3 (telepravir) trials aren't even done yet and some won't be until the first of the year.  I think that 2011 is the next, newest anticipated date.  

While we all hope it will be so, it is not a fact. Just one more thing to watch and wait.

[Marcia2202]

strange that the poster never returned