NAME AFP (Alpha-fetoprotein)
NORMAL RANGE 0-8.9 ng/ml
DEFINITION This is a protein that is often used as a tumor marker
for liver cancer. AFP is not normally present in healthy adults,
other than pregnant women.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT High levels may mean active liver disease. This test is also
used for detection of liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma).




NAME Alb (Albumin)
NORMAL RANGE 3.3-5.2 mg/dl
DEFINITION This is the major protein in the blood made only by the
liver. It makes up the largest part of the total protein level. It
maintains the fluid balance in your body.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT A low level may mean advanced liver disease, because the
liver is not able to produce the normal amount. Low levels may also
be due to malnutrition, kidney disease or bowel and intestinal
disease.




NAME AlkP (Alkaline phosphatase)
NORMAL RANGE 40-125 U/L
DEFINITION Also known as Alk Phos, this is an enzyme made in the
liver's bile ducts, and in bone, kidney, and intestine.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT High levels mean more advanced liver disease, especially
problems with the liver's bile ducts. Levels can also be high if
there is bone disease.




NAME ALT/SGPT (Alanine Aminotransferase)
NORMAL RANGE 7-56 U/L
DEFINITION This is an enzyme made in liver cells. If liver cells are
damaged or die, ALT leaks out into the bloodstream.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT This is the most important test to follow in a person with
liver disease. A high ALT may mean a high degree of liver cell
damage. However, ALT levels can also vary, and do not always reflect
the degree of liver cell damage. A liver biopsy may give the most
accurate information about the extent of liver damage. The ALT
enzyme is a more accurate marker of liver damage than the AST
enzyme. One goal of treatment for hepatitis C is a normal ALT level.




NAME Antibody
DEFINITION This is a protein developed by your body that protects
you from an antigen. There are 3 common antibody tests (see below).


NAME Anti-HBs (hepatitis B surface antibody)
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT If this test is positive, you have antibodies against the
hepatitis B virus. These are either from past exposure to hepatitis
B or from receiving the hepatitis B vaccine. You are likely to be
immune (or protected) against the hepatitis B virus.


NAME Anti-HBc (hepatitis B core antibody)
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT If this test is positive, you have developed an antibody to
the core of the virus and have been exposed to the hepatitis B
virus. You may be currently infected, were infected and fought it
off, have chronic infection or a false positive test.


NAME Anti-HCV (hepatitis C antibody)
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT If this test is positive, you may be infected with hepatitis
C virus. This test does not tell whether you were exposed and fought
off the infection, have chronic infection or if it is a false
positive test. Another test called RIBA (recombinant immunoblot
assay) may be used to confirm the hepatitis C antibody test result.






NAME Antigen
DEFINITION The antigen is the part of the virus that signals your
body to protect itself.




NAME AST/SGOT (Aspartate Aminotransferase)
NORMAL RANGE 5-35 U/L
DEFINITION This is an enzyme made in liver cells, similar to the
ALT. It is also made in muscles, and can be released from damaged
muscle, heart, kidney, and brain tissue. Therefore, the AST level
can be affected by many conditions other than liver disease.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT Elevated levels can mean liver damage. Often the AST and ALT
levels will elevate at the same time.




NAME Basophils
NORMAL RANGE 0.01-0.20 K/ネ
DEFINITION These are white blood cells that are similar to
neutrophils.




NAME CBC (Complete Blood Count)
NORMAL RANGE See specific tests: RBC, Hgb, HCT, WBC, Platelets
DEFINITION A CBC tests for all the blood cells, including red blood
cells and the different types of white blood cells.




NAME Cholesterol
NORMAL RANGE Healthy levels of cholesterol vary depending on the
risk of heart disease and other medical factors. mg/dl
DEFINITION Cholesterol is synthesized in the liver. It helps to
build hormones, vitamins and cell membranes.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT High levels of cholesterol are associated with
atherosclerosis and heart disease. Low levels are a marker of poor
liver function.




NAME CREAT (Creatinine)
NORMAL RANGE 0.6-1.4 mg/dl
DEFINITION This is a breakdown product of creatine phosphate, which
is a protein found in muscle. It is made entirely by the kidneys.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT Elevated levels usually indicate problems with the kidneys or
renal system.




NAME DBili (Direct Bilirubin)
NORMAL RANGE 0.1-1.0 mg/dl
DEFINITION Direct, or "conjugated," bilirubin is a breakdown product
from hemoglobin that has been further processed by the liver.
Usually, bilirubin is removed from the blood by the liver, broken
down, and sent to the intestines through the bile ducts.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT High levels mean liver damage, or blockage in the ducts
(tubes) of the liver. High levels also cause yellowing of the skin
and whites of the eyes (called jaundice).




NAME Eosinophils
NORMAL RANGE 0.04-0.50 K/ネ
DEFINITION These are white blood cells that are similar to
neutrophils.




NAME Ferritin
NORMAL RANGE 29-300 ト/L
DEFINITION This protein stores iron in the liver.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT Ferritin is the primary measure of body iron stores. Very
high levels may mean liver disease or hemochromatosis.




NAME Genotype
DEFINITION The genotype is a mixture of genes within a virus.
Genotypes help determine the genetic character of the viruses, such
as the hepatitis C virus. Currently, there are six known hepatitis C
genotypes.




NAME GGT (Gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase)
NORMAL RANGE 7-64 U/l
DEFINITION This is an enzyme made in the bile ducts. High levels may
mean problems with the liver's bile ducts.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT GGT is a very sensitive test, and can elevate if you use
drugs or alcohol.




NAME Globulin
NORMAL RANGE 1-2.8 g/dl
DEFINITION These proteins and albumin make up total protein.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT Levels of these proteins may vary in liver disease.




NAME HBeAg (hepatitis B antigen)
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT If you test positive, you are currently infected and probably
have high levels of hepatitis B virus in your blood. You may be very
infectious to others.




NAME HBsAg (hepatitis B surface antigen)
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT If you test positive, you are currently infected with
hepatitis B.




NAME HCT (Hematocrit)
NORMAL RANGE 42-52%
DEFINITION This measures the percentage of red blood cells per
volume of blood sample.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT Low levels may mean anemia. With anemia, hemoglobin may also
be low.




NAME HCV RNA Quantitative or Qualitative (Hepatitis C Viral Load)
NORMAL RANGE Undetectable in people without hepatitis C or who have
been successfully treated for hepatitis C.
DEFINITION The qualitative test tells whether or not there is any
detectable hepatitis C virus in your blood. The quantitative test
determines the amount of hepatitis C virus in the blood.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT The qualitative HCV RNA test is commonly used to confirm the
diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C. The quantitative test is used
mostly to measure response to treatment. It may also be used prior
to treatment to help estimate the chances that treatment will be
successful. People with very high viral loads may not respond as
well to treatment as those with lower viral loads. The viral load
does not reflect the degree of liver damage or the severity of
chronic hepatitis C infection.




NAME Hgb (Hemoglobin)
NORMAL RANGE 14-18 g/dl
DEFINITION This is a protein portion of red blood cells that carries
oxygen.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT Low levels may mean anemia, which is a common side effect of
ribavirin treatment.




NAME INR (International normalized ratio)
DEFINITION This is a system of reporting the results of blood
clotting tests.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT In the INR system, results of blood clotting tests are
standardized so health care providers all over the world are able to
read the results.




NAME Iron
DEFINITION This is a mineral that plays a role in hemoglobin
formation.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT Iron Saturated in Blood: Measures overall percentage of iron
in blood. Normal range is 16-60%.
Serum Iron: Measures level of iron in blood and is used to test for
both low iron and iron overload, such as hemochromatosis. Normal
range is 50-150 ト/dl.




NAME LYMPHS (Lymphocytes)
NORMAL RANGE 0.8-3.5 K/ネ
DEFINITION These are white blood cells that produce antibodies to
fight viral infections.




NAME Monocytes
NORMAL RANGE 0.2-0.8 K/ネ
DEFINITION These are white blood cells that destroy foreign bacteria
and other matter.




NAME NEUTS (Neutrophils)
NORMAL RANGE 2.2-8.6 K/ネ
DEFINITION These are white blood cells that play a key role in
inflammation, allergic reactions, pus formation, and in destroying
bacteria and parasites.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT Low neutrophil can mean infection or inflammation. Interferon
treatment
is associated with low neutrophil levels. Therefore, you must have
adequate (normal or near normal) levels of neutrophils to start
interferon.
The absolute neutrophil count (ANC) is the total number of white
blood cells in your blood. If your ANC is below 500/ネ, you are
at
increased risk of infection.




NAME Platelets
NORMAL RANGE 140-400 /mm3
DEFINITION These are small blood cells that help blood clot when
injury occurs.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT Platelets may be low in advanced liver disease or while on
interferon treatment. A low count may increase the chance of
bleeding. Therefore, you must have adequate (normal or near normal)
levels of platelets to start interferon treatment.




NAME Protein, total
NORMAL RANGE 6.0-8.5 g/dl
DEFINITION Total protein includes large particles in the blood made
of albumin and globulins.
EXPLANATION OF TEST
RESULT Low levels of total protein indicate a more advanced stage of
liver disease.




NAME PT (Prothrombin Time)
NORMAL RANGE 9.8-13.8 seconds
DEFINITION This is a measure of the time that it takes for your
blood to clot. Prothrombin is a protein that is changed to thrombin
during clotting.
EXPLANATION OF TEST
RESULT High PT may mean advanced liver disease. It may also be high
if you are taking coumadin (or warfarin) for a heart condition, or
if you have a vitamin K deficiency.




NAME PTT (Partial Thromboplastin Time)
NORMAL RANGE 24.2-36.0 seconds
DEFINITION This is another measure of clotting time.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT In addition to PT, this result shows if blood is clotting at
a normal time. It is higher than normal in people with clotting
disorders or patients on certain medicines, such as heparin.




NAME Quasispecies
DEFINITION When the virus changes and makes copies, it can make
errors. This leads to minor genetic differences in viruses in an
individual infected with a single genotype.




NAME RBC (Red Blood Cells)
NORMAL RANGE 4.7-6.1 /mm3
DEFINITION These are small cells that carry oxygen in the blood.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT Lab values show over- or under-production. Low levels may
mean anemia.




NAME RIBA (recombinant immunoblot assay)
DEFINITION This is a more specific test than the hepatitis C
antibody test, that helps confirm a diagnosis of hepatitis C virus
infection.




NAME T3, total
NORMAL RANGE 45-137 ng/dl
DEFINITION T3 is a form of thyroid hormone.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT T3 levels may be abnormal in liver disease.




NAME T4, free
NORMAL RANGE 9-24 pmol/l
DEFINITION T4 is a form of thyroid hormone.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT T4 levels may be abnormal in liver disease.




NAME TBili (bilirubin, total)
NORMAL RANGE 0.1-1.2 mg/dl
DEFINITION TBili is a breakdown product from hemoglobin in old red
blood cells. Usually, it is removed from the blood by the liver,
broken down, and sent to the intestines through the bile ducts.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT High levels mean liver damage, or blockage in the ducts
(tubes) of the liver. High levels also cause yellowing of the skin
and whites of the eyes (called jaundice).




NAME Triglycerides
NORMAL RANGE 10-190 mg/dl
DEFINITION These are fatty substances in the blood.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT Triglyceride levels may become high during interferon
treatment. Levels usually return to normal after treatment has
stopped.




NAME TSH (Thyroid Stimulation Hormone)
NORMAL RANGE 0.4-6.0 オU/ml
DEFINITION This hormone causes other thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) to
be produced. Thyroid hormones help the body function, and metabolize
foods.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT High levels of TSH are associated with interferon treatment
and hypothyroidism.




NAME WBC (White Blood Cells)
NORMAL RANGE 4.8-10.8 /mm3
DEFINITION This test measures the overall number of white blood
cells. There are five types of WBC: neutrophils, eosinophils,
basophils, monocytes and lymphocytes. Each of them does slightly
different jobs. All of them are used for fighting infections.
EXPLANATION
OF TEST
RESULT Low WBC may mean bone marrow depression, a common side effect
of interferon treatment. Low levels can also be caused by reactions
to toxins, or to the presence of a virus.