And now, we have resistance tests and UND in 2 weeks or less. We've come a long way, baby!!
That would sure beat the heck out of treating for 72 weeks and then rolling the dice!
I found an interesting new article that claims SVR predictive value from a Viral Load test 24 HOURS after the start of treatment! Now THAT would be a super rapid response!
http://www.natap.org/2008/DDW/DDW_11.htm
Maybe this will be the wave of the future...Try one shot, and if you don't get a 1 log drop the next day, try something else!
Personaly I would suggest following SOC. That is what is proven to work in a certain amount of patients. Any protocol changes to drugs or duration and you have a good chance of failing treatment. The viral kinetic milestones are at weeks 4, 12, 24 and after the end of treatment. The data says if you clear the virus BY week 4. It doesn't say what week or day it became undetectable. If you clear by week 4, 12, 24 then you can calculate the odds of SVR from that.
Also how the treatment works is this...
First, you need to have an undetectable viral load.
Second, you have to keep the virus suppressed for a certain amount of time depending on when you became UND and your genotype.
Other wise the virus come right back.
So if you are going to do treatment you need to be commited and willing to following the protocol or you are risking failure.
Hector
A rapid responder (RVR) is if you achieve undetected viral load at week 4. You should take a PCR test on the morning before you start your 5th week of shots, if I'm not mistaken. As you are taking 3 shots a week, I think that's how it would work for you.
I would advise you to go for the whole 24 weeks, if you can take it, you have a better chance of beating this thing.
The studies were made with PegINF and Riba and not with the Interferon shots you are taking, so I am not sure they are adoptable.
I hope that someone more knowledgeable will chime in.
Marcia