Hepatitis C Support Group
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne viral disease which can cause liver inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver cancer. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is spread by blood-to-blood contact with an infected person's blood. Many people with HCV infection have no symptoms and are unaware of the need to seek treatment. Hepatitis C infects an estimated 150-200 million people worldwide.
My darling members, this is a must read.
YOu know me, I am totally against anything that replaces the Gold Standard Biopsy to get the exact measurement of liver damage.
But a good friend and member here, has sent me this wonderful journal that he always sends me monthly with great news regarding hepatitis c.
This month, we have an article on a new way to do a biopsy which is done by a breathalizer, imagine that, and the best thing is, is does measures the fibrosis, ect...
So here is a short version, I will post the whole article in the recommandations department.
Please read carefully:
October 27, 2008 Printer-friendly version
Safer Than Liver Biopsy: A Simple Breath Test for HCV
A specially designed breath test has been found to be a safe and accurate alternative to liver biopsy for determining the degree of inflammation and fibrosis in patients with chronic Hepatitis C infection and normal ALT, according to researchers from Jerusalem
Liver biopsy remains the "gold standard" for assessing liver disease progression, but since the procedure is expensive, uncomfortable, and carries a small risk of complications, researchers have explored various non-invasive methods.
Several of these methods employ various blood biomarkers. Liver function tests that measure alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) indicate liver inflammation and may be a sign of progressive liver damage, but as many as one-third of hepatitis C patients with significant liver disease have persistently normal ALT.
As background, the authors noted that the test reflects hepatic microsomal function and has been shown to correlate with liver fibrosis. Such tests work on the principle that a damaged liver is unable to efficiently metabolize various substances, which can be measured in the expelled breath.
The investigators tested 100 patients with untreated chronic HCV infection along with 100 healthy HCV negative age- and sex-matched volunteers. The (13)C-methacetin breath test was administered following ingestion of 75 mg methacetin. All participants had undergone a liver biopsy within 12 months of receiving the breath test.
Patients with a necroinflammatory grade 4 were defined as having high-level inflammation. Individuals with a histological activity fibrosis stage < 2 were defined as having non-significant fibrosis, while those > 2 were defined as having significant fibrosis.
Now to see the study done on patient and the whole article, go to RECOMMANDATIONS DEPT.
Love & Respect,
Mckenzie
One day at the time.
YOu know me, I am totally against anything that replaces the Gold Standard Biopsy to get the exact measurement of liver damage.
But a good friend and member here, has sent me this wonderful journal that he always sends me monthly with great news regarding hepatitis c.
This month, we have an article on a new way to do a biopsy which is done by a breathalizer, imagine that, and the best thing is, is does measures the fibrosis, ect...
So here is a short version, I will post the whole article in the recommandations department.
Please read carefully:
October 27, 2008 Printer-friendly version
Safer Than Liver Biopsy: A Simple Breath Test for HCV
A specially designed breath test has been found to be a safe and accurate alternative to liver biopsy for determining the degree of inflammation and fibrosis in patients with chronic Hepatitis C infection and normal ALT, according to researchers from Jerusalem
Liver biopsy remains the "gold standard" for assessing liver disease progression, but since the procedure is expensive, uncomfortable, and carries a small risk of complications, researchers have explored various non-invasive methods.
Several of these methods employ various blood biomarkers. Liver function tests that measure alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) indicate liver inflammation and may be a sign of progressive liver damage, but as many as one-third of hepatitis C patients with significant liver disease have persistently normal ALT.
As background, the authors noted that the test reflects hepatic microsomal function and has been shown to correlate with liver fibrosis. Such tests work on the principle that a damaged liver is unable to efficiently metabolize various substances, which can be measured in the expelled breath.
The investigators tested 100 patients with untreated chronic HCV infection along with 100 healthy HCV negative age- and sex-matched volunteers. The (13)C-methacetin breath test was administered following ingestion of 75 mg methacetin. All participants had undergone a liver biopsy within 12 months of receiving the breath test.
Patients with a necroinflammatory grade 4 were defined as having high-level inflammation. Individuals with a histological activity fibrosis stage < 2 were defined as having non-significant fibrosis, while those > 2 were defined as having significant fibrosis.
Now to see the study done on patient and the whole article, go to RECOMMANDATIONS DEPT.
Love & Respect,
Mckenzie
One day at the time.
Also for those who have to pay for this procedure, I am positive this one will be a lot cheaper.
Love ya guys, Mckenzie
One day at the time.
Thank you so much, McKenzie!