HCV log interpretation

[1littlea]

I recieved a result of 771970 quantitation and an HCV log 10 of 5.888. Where do I stand, as far as you are concerned reguarding treatment? Should I just try " Lifestyle-changes" and alternative treatments, or go for the tradtional treatments?

[jerialice]

hello just wanted to chime in on insurance issues. if you'd like to PM me, i can share how i got tx for the hep c w/out insurance!
there are ways!
good luck with your follow ups.
this is a very helpful forum.

ja

[1littlea]

Thanks to those of you whom advised me! I really appreciate your responses

[Diana66]

Juat be aware that a "normal" ultrasound does not reflect the health or the damage in the liver. My ultrasoud is perfect yet the Fibroscan measured severe fibrosis. Fibroscan would be prefered if you have that option

As Will mentioned the quantitation does not reflect liver health.

If you choose to vaccinate against hep A and B (although not every doctor recommends it), just make sure that you are testing first for those viruses.

In saying that there are other viruses which can be a "burden" on the liver such as EBV

[1littlea]

Yes, I have also had an ultrasound, which showed no abnormaties in the liver, gallbladder or pancreas. I will see the Gastro again today. We have not met since I recieved the genotype result. I suppose he will narrow down my treatment options inthis appointment. Also, I am uninsured!

[Advocate1955]

As willbb said, the most important thing to do now is to follow up with a gastroenterologist or a hepatologist.  You should be vaccinated against Hep A and Hep B to protect your liver from co-infection.  You should also be tested for HIV to make sure that you don't have that as well.  Any of these would add extra burden to your liver.  Usually a gastro or a hepa would then do a CT scan and/or an ultrasound of your abdomen to check for anything of concern and a liver biopsy to check on the health of your liver.  This is critical information in terms of deciding whether to treat now or wait.
Keep us posted and let us know when you have more information.
Advocate1955

[willbb]

Follow this link  for the most recent info. on Geno type 2 ,including a chapter on possible future thrapies....

Will

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1478-3231.2011.02710.x/full


Future therapies

Recently approved DAA inhibitors of HCV replication are expected to provide a major step forward in the treatment of HCV infection. Several small molecules, mainly inhibitors of HCV NS3/4A protease and NS5B polymerase are in the process of being commercialized in Europe.


Although DAA will improve virological response rates in patients with genotype 1, the development of small molecules effective against HCV genotypes other than one is in earlier stages [23]. Telaprevir, the first agent to directly target viral replication, has been shown to be active against HCV-2, but not against HCV-3. Telaprevir is a powerful oral protease inhibitor [24, 25] that can increase the SVR in genotype 1 HCV by about 30% compared to standard PEG-IFN/RBV. The activity of telaprevir was investigated in patients with HCV-2 and HCV-3 in the C209 study. The combination of telaprevir plus PEG-FN alpha-2a and RBV was evaluated in five patients with HCV-2 and compared to telaprevir alone in nine patients and to PEG-IFN and RBV in an additional nine patients in the control group. The triple combination therapy resulted in SVR rates of 100% which is remarkable considering the 89% rate observed in patients receiving standard PEG-IFN/RBV [26]. Conversely, telaprevir monotherapy had little or no activity in patients infected with HCV-3. In that study, telaprevir was administered as monotherapy or in combination with PEG-IFN for only 2 weeks, while the overall duration of treatment was 24 weeks in each arm. It should be noted that the histological diagnosis of cirrhosis was an exclusion criteria in this study.


Other NS3/4A protease inhibitors, nucleoside and non-nucleoside reverse replicase inhibitors as well as NS5A inhibitors have shown to have antiviral activity against HCV-2. One of the most promising drugs so far is PSI-7977, a nucleotide analogue polymerase inhibitor [27]. In the Proton study, an open label study, the drug was evaluated in 15 patients infected with HCV-2 and in 10 infected with HCV-3 as well as in a larger group of patients with HCV-1 infection [28]. That study, whose results were presented at the last EASL meeting, reported an RVR of 96% after the triple combination of 400 mg of PSI-7977 plus PEG-IFN/RBV. Twenty-four HCV-2 and -3 patients who completed the 12 weeks of treatment achieved SVR (96%). Patients with cirrhosis were excluded. The Electron study, an ongoing study, is currently evaluating this triple combination in an IFN sparing regimen strategy of only 8 weeks of triple combination treatment.

[1littlea]

I have genotype 2. I understand this is most responsive to current treatments. Wondering if a new "kinder" treatment is on the horizon?

[willbb]

Sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis of HCV. Leading a healthy lifestyle is always good for everyone,especially those with any liver disease..however this alone will do nothing to eradicate the virus.

I would suggest ,if  you  have not already to see a specialist ( either a gastroenterologist or a Hepatologist) to run all the appropriate tests (including possibly a biopsy to ascertain liver damage(fibrosis)

Your Viral load you posted is considered low ,however this changes daily and really has no bearing on the severity of the overall picture.

Treatments today are approx. 70 -80% succesful ..and depending on what genotype you have the drug  protocols differ somewhat.

Good luck to you and welcome to the zoo...

Will