Alpha 2 Macroglobulin high on Fibrotest. Ideas??

[I fightis thetitis]

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

[FutureThinker]

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

[FutureThinker]

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

[dragonslayer]

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/

[I fightis thetitis]

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