Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
May 16, 2024, 07:30:53 am

Login with username, password and session length


Members
  • Total Members: 6309
  • Latest: Vicki
Stats
  • Total Posts: 55126
  • Total Topics: 4851
  • Online Today: 193
  • Online Ever: 1314
  • (June 22, 2016, 05:23:42 am)
Users Online
Users: 0
Guests: 187
Total: 187

Welcome

Welcome to the Hep Forums, a round-the-clock discussion area for people who have Fatty Liver Disease, Hepatitis B, C or a co-infection, their friends and family and others with questions about hepatitis and liver health. Check in frequently to read what others have to say, post your comments, and hopefully learn more about how you can reach your own health goals.

Privacy Warning: Please realize that these forums are open to all, and are fully searchable via Google and other search engines. If this concerns you, then do not use a username or avatar that are self-identifying in any way. We do not allow the deletion of anything you post in these forums, so think before you post.
  • The information shared in these forums, by moderators and members, is designed to complement, not replace, the relationship between an individual and his/her own physician.
  • All members of these forums are, by default, not considered to be licensed medical providers. If otherwise, users must clearly define themselves as such.
  • Product advertisement (including links); banners; and clinical trial, study or survey participation—is strictly prohibited by forums members unless permission has been secured from the Hep Forum Moderators.
Finished Reading This? You can collapse this or any other box on this page by clicking the symbol in each box.

Author Topic: Alpha 2 Macroglobulin high on Fibrotest. Ideas??  (Read 10485 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline I fightis thetitis

  • Member
  • Posts: 129
Alpha 2 Macroglobulin high on Fibrotest. Ideas??
« on: August 31, 2016, 02:19:53 am »
Hmm.. just received results from Fibro test eot 14 weeks.
Still F4 (Severe Fibrosis - but down 6 points from score 90 to 84) AND my acti test panel down to A0 which is great.

However my Alpha 2 Macroglobulin score came back doubled at 576 (high) while the range is supposed to be 106 to 279.
I googled and saw possible connection to high levels and cirrhosis.

Anyone know about these scores??

New GI Doc said if I do have cirrhosis it would be stage 1.

BUT what is worrisome is I mentioned I began drinking 2 cups of coffee a day for the well published benefits. He said he never heard of coffee benefiting the liver. 
I said "Your joking right?" He said "Nope, it's probably all non-sense."
Some friendly back and forth between us ensued.. but WOW!! He's a GI!!

My kids know about coffee and liver benefits..

Live long and Prosper!

Greg
M59  56@start of TX. date infected:1976
diagnosed 1997 - asymtomatic
Genotype 1a
AST 111 -ALT 124 - AFP -89
Viral Load 1900000 - Log 6.28
Fibro Test F4 ActiTest A3
Harvoni 24 wks - start date 11/24/15

6 Week Labs VL Undetected!
104 weeks EOT Undetected.

8/25/17 Fibrosure score 80 = F4
11/10/17 Fibroscan 7.5 mean 1.6 m/s = F2
8/2018 Ultra sound normal.

Offline FutureThinker

  • Member
  • Posts: 711
  • Onward and upward!
Re: Alpha 2 Macroglobulin high on Fibrotest. Ideas??
« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2016, 12:51:02 pm »
Hey, IFTI -- I just asked about this particular test on my FibroSure scores at my SVR 12 appt w/ my hepatologist last week, as mine was in the 400- range.  I was told "not to worry about it, it's just one score on this test and it can go much higher." My reading on it from Mayo Clinic's website pointed to possible causes as nephrotic syndrome, cirrhosis and diabetes.

I was also told this test is "not that accurate, many clinicians do not use it" and the only reason it was ordered for me last year was in response to my insurance company's denial for Harvoni and their questioning of my F score.  I had a liver biopsy in 2012 which showed F1, so they did not want to do another biopsy and the FibroSure was the next best thing at that time.  Now that the Fibroscan is available, I imagine that is what they'll be using in future F score issues.

Hope this helps! Take care, FT
Treatment naive
Likely contracted mid-70s
Diagnosed 1a, 2011
F1-2
Harvoni X 12 weeks, completed 5/17/16
Pre-treatment: VL 3 mil, AST 64, ALT 84
4 week labs: VL 30, AST 21, ALT 14
8 week labs: VL UD!!!, AST 22, ALT 16
12 week labs: VL UD, AST 23, ALT 14
2 wk EOT: VL UD
12 wk EOT: VL UD, AST 22, ALT 13 =  SVR 12! Yay! 
Last hep appointment: VL UD, AST 19, ALT 12 = SVR 39! I AM DONE!

Offline FutureThinker

  • Member
  • Posts: 711
  • Onward and upward!
Re: Alpha 2 Macroglobulin high on Fibrotest. Ideas??
« Reply #2 on: August 31, 2016, 12:52:29 pm »
Oh, and regarding the coffee issue -- I am sure you can google coffee liver benefits and find a reputable article to enlighten your GI! I know I've read several accounts of this benefit.  FT
Treatment naive
Likely contracted mid-70s
Diagnosed 1a, 2011
F1-2
Harvoni X 12 weeks, completed 5/17/16
Pre-treatment: VL 3 mil, AST 64, ALT 84
4 week labs: VL 30, AST 21, ALT 14
8 week labs: VL UD!!!, AST 22, ALT 16
12 week labs: VL UD, AST 23, ALT 14
2 wk EOT: VL UD
12 wk EOT: VL UD, AST 22, ALT 13 =  SVR 12! Yay! 
Last hep appointment: VL UD, AST 19, ALT 12 = SVR 39! I AM DONE!

Offline dragonslayer

  • Member
  • Posts: 873
Re: Alpha 2 Macroglobulin high on Fibrotest. Ideas??
« Reply #3 on: August 31, 2016, 02:09:56 pm »
Here's one, just for starters... And its not even a new study. .Hard to fathom that GI docs arent familiar with results like these:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19676128

and another newer one:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4416533/
« Last Edit: August 31, 2016, 02:11:53 pm by dragonslayer »
Paul

DX 2008
Started Harvoni 11/26/14 for 8 wks
Completed 8 wks Harvoni 01/20/15
EOT RNA Quant result:  Detected 29
7.5 wk post tx: Detected < LLOQ(12)
11 wk post tx: UNDETECTED SVR12
24 wk post tx: UNDETECTED SVR24; AST 26; ALT 22; ALP 73
48 wk post tx: UNDETECTED SVR48; AST 18; ALT 18; ALP 70
GT 1a
vl 2.4mil
2008 bpx: Stage&Grade 0
2013 bpx: Stage&Grade: 0-1
IL28B: TT
likely infected early '70s

Offline I fightis thetitis

  • Member
  • Posts: 129
Re: Alpha 2 Macroglobulin high on Fibrotest. Ideas??
« Reply #4 on: September 01, 2016, 02:41:20 am »
Thanks D Slayer and FT,

I will pass the links onto GI.. Does make one wonder why and how a GI can NOT know the coffee benefits and then expect he is up on the latest hep c/liver info moving forward.

I will prob request anther dr shortly..

Best always,

Greg

M59  56@start of TX. date infected:1976
diagnosed 1997 - asymtomatic
Genotype 1a
AST 111 -ALT 124 - AFP -89
Viral Load 1900000 - Log 6.28
Fibro Test F4 ActiTest A3
Harvoni 24 wks - start date 11/24/15

6 Week Labs VL Undetected!
104 weeks EOT Undetected.

8/25/17 Fibrosure score 80 = F4
11/10/17 Fibroscan 7.5 mean 1.6 m/s = F2
8/2018 Ultra sound normal.

 


© 2024 Smart + Strong. All Rights Reserved.   terms of use and your privacy
Smart + Strong® is a registered trademark of CDM Publishing, LLC.