1	Understanding Your Hepatitis C Labs What Does it All Mean?
2	Today You Will Learn… Why are labs important? Why do I need to understand my labs? 6 tests that track your liver health What’s normal, what’s not Good questions to ask your doctor
3	Why are Labs Important? Lab tests can help you and your healthcare provider to:
4	When Should Lab Tests Be Done? When you are first diagnosed with Hepatitis C (HCV)
5	Why Do I Need to Understand My Labs? Even when you are feeling OK, labs can tell you things about your body that you may not be able to see or feel
6	Everyone Has Their Own “Normal”
7	How Do I Know If My Labs Are “Normal”? “Normal” or “Reference Range” values can be found on a lab report Values can vary from lab to lab Your lab results can be low, high or within normal range If your labs are too high or too low, you will see an “H” or an “L” to one side of the reference range. Ask your provider what is normal for you.
8	6 Tests That Track Your Liver Health Antibody Test Viral Load Genotype Complete Blood Count (CBC) Liver Function Panel Liver Biopsy or Ultrasound
9	HCV Antibody Test Tells you if you’ve ever been exposed to HCV
10	Viral Load
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14	Complete Blood Count (CBC) CBC measures the amount of: Red Blood Cells Carry oxygen throughout the body
15	CBC: Red Blood Cell Count Measuring your Hematocrit, Hemoglobin Hematocrit (HCT) Percentage of red blood cells in your total blood volume
16	Why Do My Hematocrit and Hemoglobin Matter? Low HCT/HGB = Anemia May Be Caused By: Medications (Ribavirin) Low folic acid, iron deficiency Internal/External Blood Loss Other Diseases
17	"Reported as number of cells..." Reported as number of cells per cubic millimeter of blood (cells/mm3) Low Neutrophil Count = Neutropenia May be caused by interferon Low WBC = Leukopenia may be caused by: May be caused by medications, chemotherapy, other diseases High WBC may be caused by infections
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19	Platelets Reported as # of platelets per cubic micro liter of blood (mm3) If too low, excessive bleeding can occur Low platelets = thrombocytopenia may be caused by medications, disease If too high, blood clots can form and clog blood vessels → stroke, heart attack
20	Liver Enzyme Tests Two important liver enzyme tests: ALT: a test that is specific to the liver Measures inflammation, not scarring. AST: levels can be affected by other organs, not just liver High numbers can mean acute damage to the liver Inflammation could also be caused by medications, alcohol, other diseases. Half of all people with severe liver damage have normal ALT’s!
21	Liver Function Tests Albumin: a major protein in blood, made by the liver. Low albumin may mean your liver isn’t working well. Bilirubin: a breakdown product from old red blood cells. High levels means your liver cannot remove bilirubin fast enough, can cause eyes or skin to turn yellow (jaundice). PT/INR: a test that tells how your blood clots. High numbers might mean you might bleed easily.
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23	Liver Biopsy Doctor passes a small hollow needle through your skin and removes a tiny piece of liver tissue Results give a STAGE and GRADE Stage: reported as Stage 0-4, tells amount of fibrosis in the liver Grade: tells the amount of inflammation in the liver
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25	Ultrasound
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