Home Forums Main Forum Patient Stories Viral Load Results labs and their techniques?

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 19 total)
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  • #14131
    Avatar photokenbasman
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @kenbasman

    Hi there,
    I am in the middle of Mexico here and I am trying to learn what kind of lab techniques I should be looking for to get my VL results from here on out. I finished treatment almost 2 weeks ago. A lab guy here (they send out the blood so he doesn’t know much about it) thought there were different techniques/machines used to get the results and that possibly some are more accurate than others. I would like to be able to call around to different labs in the country and make sure they are using the best methods possible to read my VL or lack thereof. Anybody have a clue what that might be?
    thanks,
    Ken


    HCV 35 yrs G1a F3 Tx naive
    started Lesovir-C 15/12/2015
    pre tx: VL 5,250,000 ALT 374 AST 208
    FIBROSCORE 10.4

    4 weeks tx ALT 29/ AST 33. VL < 12 UI/mL 8 weeks tx ALT 29/ AST 34. VL UND 4 weeks after tx UND. SVR4. ALT 24/AST 18

    #14132
    Avatar photoLondonGirl
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @londongirl

    Hi ken,

    Dr Freeman gave me this info :

    Abbot and Roche make the PCR test.

    The usual one here is the Roche TaqMan COBAS http://molecular.roche.com/assays/Pages/COBASTaqManHCVTestv20HPS.aspx

    The tests I order are either

    HCV RNA PCR quantitative
    HCV RNA PCR qualitative


    GT1a Dec14 F2/8.7 VL 900000-2.5M
    Jan16 Hepcivir-L MonkMed/Redemption
    Baseline: VL 913575 Alt 76 Platelets low
    Wk2 VL1157 Alt 23
    DET Wk 8 VL 32 Alt19 ‘In the slow lane’
    June16 Fibro 5.7 F0/1 LIF 1.5
    Wk 11 VL<12 Alt 13 Det/Unq
    Extending tx 12 wks Mylan Sofo/Dac MonkMed
    Wk 14 VL <12 Det/Unq
    Wk 16 VL UNDETECTED
    Wk 22 + 4 Wks Sunprevir FixHepC
    Wk 24 UNDETECTED Alt 13
    Wk 12 post tx SVR12 Wk 26 SVR24
    Thank-you Tim, Dr Debasis @ MonkMed & Dr Freeman @ Fix HepC

    #14133
    Avatar photodarbara
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @darbara

    Where I live its state provided and they use the TaqMan COBAS which <25 as LLOQ
    The link is provided above by LG
    Features
    CE-IVD: Sensitivity (LOD; genotype 1) – plasma: 9.3 HCV RNA IU/mL, serum: 8.8 HCV RNA IU/mL; linear range – 25 to 3.91×10^8 IU/mL
    FDA-IVD: Sensitivity (LoD; across all genotypes) – 20 IU/mL; Linear range –Quantitation of HCV RNA from 25 to 3×10^8 IU/mL
    COBAS® TaqMan® 48 Analyzer for automated real-time PCR amplification and detection


    Treatment naive
    F 3/4
    Genotype 1 a & b
    V/L 17 MILLION
    Started Harvoni 11th Dec 2015 for 12 weeks
    4 weeks VL UND
    6 WEEKS ALT 32, AST 34
    EOT 03/03 2016 ! UND
    ALT 34, AST 26
    04.04.2016 SVR 4
    26.05.2016 SVR 12
    16.08.2016 SVR 24

    #14148
    Avatar photoGreedfighter
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @greedfighter

    The lab I use, Quest Diagnostics, only has RNA & PCR RNA Quantitative.

    These were my results.

    HCV RNA IU/mL <15 Not Detected

    HCV RNA,QN,PCR <1.18 Not Detected

    Edit: Apparently the first test, RNA IU/mL is the Qualitative result and shows no active infection. The second test is quantitative and confirms it!

    #14156
    Avatar photokenbasman
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @kenbasman

    Thanks everybody. I thnk i begin to know whqt to look for,
    Ken


    HCV 35 yrs G1a F3 Tx naive
    started Lesovir-C 15/12/2015
    pre tx: VL 5,250,000 ALT 374 AST 208
    FIBROSCORE 10.4

    4 weeks tx ALT 29/ AST 33. VL < 12 UI/mL 8 weeks tx ALT 29/ AST 34. VL UND 4 weeks after tx UND. SVR4. ALT 24/AST 18

    #14164
    Avatar photodarbara
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @darbara

    As in my case <25 and a note UNDETECTED at the LLOQ.
    Abbot test is <15 LLOQ
    Roche Cobas Taqman <25 LLOQ
    AND if its detected it will mention as detected but sometimes the guy who writes the report forgets to write UNDETECTED <15, <25 <...... SO DONT PANIC


    Treatment naive
    F 3/4
    Genotype 1 a & b
    V/L 17 MILLION
    Started Harvoni 11th Dec 2015 for 12 weeks
    4 weeks VL UND
    6 WEEKS ALT 32, AST 34
    EOT 03/03 2016 ! UND
    ALT 34, AST 26
    04.04.2016 SVR 4
    26.05.2016 SVR 12
    16.08.2016 SVR 24

    #14165
    dope-on-a-rope.jpgDr James
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @fixhepc

    Unless you are one of the rare few who had normal/near normal LFTs pre treatment in all the relapses I have seen I’ve known it’s coming a week in advance because the LFTs are off again.

    A few patients scared me with elevated enzymes but came back undetected – this traced back to celebrating with alcohol.

    Any of the viral load tests will pick up a relapse.


    YMMV

    #23645
    countless
    • Topics: 6
    • Replies: 39
    • Total: 45
    • Recovery Champion
    • ★★★★
    @countless

    Dear Dr.Freeman
    As you mentioned that very few have normal or near normal liver function tests and as I am one of those I wondered whether you have observed any particular traits of disease which presents with LFTs being normal. My ALT is 45 , viral load about 400 000 , no symptoms but fibroscan is 12. Is there anything that could be read into this unusual combination or it is of no relevance? Thank you.
    If anybody else has a clue the replies are welcome.


    Diagnosed September 2016.
    1b
    ALAT in 40s.
    VL 460 000
    Fibroscan 12.5
    Start of treatment 18/10/16
    Wk 2 VL 145
    Wk 4 VL detected unquantifiable
    Wk 8 VL detected unquantifiable
    Wk 12 undetected
    week 30 after eot – undetected

    #23664
    dope-on-a-rope.jpgDr James
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @fixhepc

    Hep C can be remarkably unsymptomatic until it isn’t. Many people can wait for treatment. @12kPa you are almost cirrhotic. For you waiting may be a mistake.


    YMMV

    #23672
    countless
    • Topics: 6
    • Replies: 39
    • Total: 45
    • Recovery Champion
    • ★★★★
    @countless

    O yes I can not wait to start trratement , I hope medicines would be shipped tomorrow and my immense gratitude to you for giving me this opportunity. Just been pondering trying to make sense of me and my hepatitis


    Diagnosed September 2016.
    1b
    ALAT in 40s.
    VL 460 000
    Fibroscan 12.5
    Start of treatment 18/10/16
    Wk 2 VL 145
    Wk 4 VL detected unquantifiable
    Wk 8 VL detected unquantifiable
    Wk 12 undetected
    week 30 after eot – undetected

    #23685
    Avatar photoSven
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @sven

    Countless you are in the right place at the right time. Keep us posted!
    Your almost there, Congrats!


    Contracted HCV 1980’s
    Geno Type 1a
    F3 ( doc says once treated I’ll be F2 maybe F1)
    Meds shipped 6/17/2016 arrived early 7/2016

    Viral count – 3,471,080

    4 week quantitative bloods: August 17, 2016. I have been diagnosed as <15 (told undetected)

    8 week quantitative bloods: September 14th. I have been diagnosed as <15 (told undetected)

    11 week PCR RNA Qualitative bloods: September 26th 2016 – Undetected

    December 19th 2016: Cured!
    Viral count: zero!!!
    2018 viral count: still zero!
    Cured!

    #23951
    countless
    • Topics: 6
    • Replies: 39
    • Total: 45
    • Recovery Champion
    • ★★★★
    @countless

    I did not exactly realise that 2 years ago neither these medications nor this site existed , what you saying makes sense now..


    Diagnosed September 2016.
    1b
    ALAT in 40s.
    VL 460 000
    Fibroscan 12.5
    Start of treatment 18/10/16
    Wk 2 VL 145
    Wk 4 VL detected unquantifiable
    Wk 8 VL detected unquantifiable
    Wk 12 undetected
    week 30 after eot – undetected

    #23952
    Avatar photomgalbrai
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @mgalbrai

    Yes Countless,
    Welcome to the tip of the spear in the battle to wipe out HCV.
    As Sven says, the time is right.
    Good luck,
    m


    Curehcvnow@gmail.com
    http://forums.delphiforums.com/generichcvtx

    G 1a F-1
    Started tx 10/23/15 (Meso sof & led) ALT 48 AST 28 v/l 1.6 mil
    11/17/15 4 wk lab ALT 17 AST 16 <15
    11/18/15 Started Harvoni
    12/16/15 8 wk lab ALT: 15 AST: 13 V/l UND
    1/14/16 Fin. Tx
    7/07/16 UND SVR 24

    #24060
    countless
    • Topics: 6
    • Replies: 39
    • Total: 45
    • Recovery Champion
    • ★★★★
    @countless

    Thank you.
    On the topic of lab results – does anybody know how to convert viral load counts in units into ones in fmols and viceversa ?


    Diagnosed September 2016.
    1b
    ALAT in 40s.
    VL 460 000
    Fibroscan 12.5
    Start of treatment 18/10/16
    Wk 2 VL 145
    Wk 4 VL detected unquantifiable
    Wk 8 VL detected unquantifiable
    Wk 12 undetected
    week 30 after eot – undetected

    #24064
    avatar876.jpegGaj
    • Guardian Angel
    • ★★★★★
    @gaj

    .
    I haven’t seen VL expressed as fmols, do you mean Log10 scale?
    In which case it is a logarithmic progression which I don’t have the skills to explain how to calculate but can supply the below approximations. (Sorry about the wonky columns, too much work to tabulate on an iPad ;) )

    Log10    iu/mL
    7.0   10,000,000
    6.9    7,943,282
    6.8    6,309,573
    6.7    5,011,872
    6.6    3,981,072
    6.5    3,162,278
    6.4    2,511,886
    6.3    1,995,262
    6.2    1,584,893
    6.1    1,258,925
    6.0 1,000,000
    5.9    794,328
    5.8    630,957
    5.7    501,187
    5.6    398,107
    5.5    316,228
    5.4    251,189
    5.3    199,526
    5.2    158,489
    5.1    125,893
    5.0    100,000
    4.9    79,433
    4.8    63,096
    4.7    50,119
    4.6    39,811
    4.5    31,623
    4.4    25,119
    4.3    19,953
    4.2    15,849
    4.1    12,589
    4.0  10,000
    3.9    7,943
    3.8    6,310
    3.7    5,012
    3.6    3,981
    3.5    3,162
    3.4    2,512
    3.3    1,995
    3.2    1,585
    3.1    1,259
    3.0.   1,000
    2.9    794
    2.8    631
    2.7    501
    2.6    398
    2.5    316
    2.4    251
    2.3    200
    2.2    158
    2.1    126
    2.0 100
    1.9    79
    1.8    63
    1.7    50
    1.6    40
    1.5    32
    1.4    25
    1.3    20
    1.2    16
    1.1    13
    1.0  10
    0.9    8
    0.8    6
    0.7    5
    0.6    4
    0.5    3
    0.4    3
    0.3    2
    0.2    2
    0.1    1


    G3a since ’78 – Dx ’12 – F4 (2xHCC)
    24wk Tx – PEG/Riba/Dac 2013 relapsed
    24wk Tx – Generic Sof/Dac/Riba 2015/16 relapsed
    16wk Tx – 12/01/17 -> 03/05/17 NS3/NS5a + Generic Sof
    SVR7 – 22/06/17 UND
    SRV12 – 27/07/17 UND
    SVR24 – 26/10/17 UND
    :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

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