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What Causes Elevated APTT Levels?
Question: Dr. XXXXXXX Berger-Durnbaugh
Hi. So my Doc put in additonal labs.
APPT-34.6 (25-34 norm)
PT-11.7 (9.7-12.5)
INR-1.1
Appt is a little high. I understand 1.1 is the ceiling for INR.
What are your thoughts on these results?? And what are the point where they are at a dangerous level (liver disease)?
Thanks. I didnt receive feedback other than the results.
Thanks,
-XXXX
Hi. So my Doc put in additonal labs.
APPT-34.6 (25-34 norm)
PT-11.7 (9.7-12.5)
INR-1.1
Appt is a little high. I understand 1.1 is the ceiling for INR.
What are your thoughts on these results?? And what are the point where they are at a dangerous level (liver disease)?
Thanks. I didnt receive feedback other than the results.
Thanks,
-XXXX
Brief Answer:
Your labs
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
With liver disease, PT is more likely to be elevated than APTT. So that is a good sign that your PT is normal.
None of your labs results are concerning.
If PT is normal and PTT is significantly out of the normal range, it can mean that there may be inherited deficiencies of certain anticoagulant factors.
INR starts to become concerning when it is over 4.9, and requires treatment if it is over 8.0.
I think your lab results give a good indication that there is no cirrhosis, no severe liver disease.
So this is good news!
Your labs
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
With liver disease, PT is more likely to be elevated than APTT. So that is a good sign that your PT is normal.
None of your labs results are concerning.
If PT is normal and PTT is significantly out of the normal range, it can mean that there may be inherited deficiencies of certain anticoagulant factors.
INR starts to become concerning when it is over 4.9, and requires treatment if it is over 8.0.
I think your lab results give a good indication that there is no cirrhosis, no severe liver disease.
So this is good news!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you.
I guess my remaining concern is the symptoms. Rashes, joint pain, red palms, sharp pains in liver area from time to time. Maybe just a coincidence.
I guess since ive been told all of the labs can fluctuate so much it makes me think that maybe at the time i had the labs done they just happen to be in normal range. Is this very likely? Also, ive been taking milk thistle for quite some time, obviously this is supposed to help liver function. My LFTs were in really good shape across the board last time. Can this supplement potentially keep those numbers at a normal level when liver disease is present?? Almost like its masking the disease in the labs??
Thank you .
I guess my remaining concern is the symptoms. Rashes, joint pain, red palms, sharp pains in liver area from time to time. Maybe just a coincidence.
I guess since ive been told all of the labs can fluctuate so much it makes me think that maybe at the time i had the labs done they just happen to be in normal range. Is this very likely? Also, ive been taking milk thistle for quite some time, obviously this is supposed to help liver function. My LFTs were in really good shape across the board last time. Can this supplement potentially keep those numbers at a normal level when liver disease is present?? Almost like its masking the disease in the labs??
Thank you .
Brief Answer:
Some information:
Detailed Answer:
If a liver is cirrhotic, the normal tissue is replaced with scar tissue. This doesn't happen in any significant way overnight. But once it does become scarred, no amount of milk thistle is going to make the liver look like it is working better than it can on lab tests. Milk thistle helps the liver to detox, but I have never read that it can undo the scars that have formed. Just like there isn't really any medicine that makes scars on the skin go away once they are formed. So, no, I don't think it would mask a problem.
About the joint pain and rashes, have you been evaluated for any rheumatological disorders? A start for this type of evaluation would be ANA (antinuclear antibody), RF (rheumatoid factor), and ESR (sedimentation rate) tests. It is also possible, though, that you are having some type of allergic reaction (rashes) to a supplement or other exposure.
Some information:
Detailed Answer:
If a liver is cirrhotic, the normal tissue is replaced with scar tissue. This doesn't happen in any significant way overnight. But once it does become scarred, no amount of milk thistle is going to make the liver look like it is working better than it can on lab tests. Milk thistle helps the liver to detox, but I have never read that it can undo the scars that have formed. Just like there isn't really any medicine that makes scars on the skin go away once they are formed. So, no, I don't think it would mask a problem.
About the joint pain and rashes, have you been evaluated for any rheumatological disorders? A start for this type of evaluation would be ANA (antinuclear antibody), RF (rheumatoid factor), and ESR (sedimentation rate) tests. It is also possible, though, that you are having some type of allergic reaction (rashes) to a supplement or other exposure.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hello.
Thanks for the feedback on that. I know milk thistle cant heal scarring. I was just thinking it might be able to improve liver function for a period of time even when cirrhosis is present. Resulting in normal LFTs.
I have not been evaulated for rheumatological disorders. Perhaps i should as my skin has really been an issue lately. I played tennis earlier this afternoon and both arms from elbows down has tiny red dots all over. I would think being in the sun amd sweating might have causes this but this same things happens on my torso when im not doing anything. Plus ive been in the sun and pretty active most of my life amd have not seen this until the last few weeks. My red palms are still the same to among other symptoms, abdominal pain as i write this note.
Maybe im paranoid and a hypochondriac (probably a given) but everything thing i read says that when cirrhosis is present, labs are normal or slightly elevated. I also was on a site where someone mentioned they have cirrhosis and INR is 1.1, so is mine. Not saying i to have this for sure but its obviously possible.
So, my blood tests are normal across the board, my platelet count is even very normal at 300,000. Finally, my question.....
Do you know if it is typically a specific stage in cirrhosis to where all labs are normal and cirrhosis is present. My doc says its in the latter stages amd symptoms are more obvious, but ive also read that this occurs in early stages from reputable sites. Regardless they all seem to say that labs are normal or slightly elevated with cirrhosis.
Comcerned. Doc wont refer me for another ultrasound and wont be seem at the Liver Clinic until mid-June.
Sorry for the novel. You have been very helpful amd have actually given me more information than my doctor.
Thank you.
-XXX
Thanks for the feedback on that. I know milk thistle cant heal scarring. I was just thinking it might be able to improve liver function for a period of time even when cirrhosis is present. Resulting in normal LFTs.
I have not been evaulated for rheumatological disorders. Perhaps i should as my skin has really been an issue lately. I played tennis earlier this afternoon and both arms from elbows down has tiny red dots all over. I would think being in the sun amd sweating might have causes this but this same things happens on my torso when im not doing anything. Plus ive been in the sun and pretty active most of my life amd have not seen this until the last few weeks. My red palms are still the same to among other symptoms, abdominal pain as i write this note.
Maybe im paranoid and a hypochondriac (probably a given) but everything thing i read says that when cirrhosis is present, labs are normal or slightly elevated. I also was on a site where someone mentioned they have cirrhosis and INR is 1.1, so is mine. Not saying i to have this for sure but its obviously possible.
So, my blood tests are normal across the board, my platelet count is even very normal at 300,000. Finally, my question.....
Do you know if it is typically a specific stage in cirrhosis to where all labs are normal and cirrhosis is present. My doc says its in the latter stages amd symptoms are more obvious, but ive also read that this occurs in early stages from reputable sites. Regardless they all seem to say that labs are normal or slightly elevated with cirrhosis.
Comcerned. Doc wont refer me for another ultrasound and wont be seem at the Liver Clinic until mid-June.
Sorry for the novel. You have been very helpful amd have actually given me more information than my doctor.
Thank you.
-XXX
Brief Answer:
Fatty liver on ultrasound
Detailed Answer:
The thing that I keep coming back to when thinking on all of this is that your ultrasound showed fatty liver, not cirrhosis, and there wouldn't have been enough time for that to suddenly change remarkably.
Fatty liver on ultrasound
Detailed Answer:
The thing that I keep coming back to when thinking on all of this is that your ultrasound showed fatty liver, not cirrhosis, and there wouldn't have been enough time for that to suddenly change remarkably.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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