Lab Testing FAQ
9 Total Items
Question Volume 1
Have you found Quest’s VIP to be reliable? I haven’t seen any low levels yet when I used to see it
all the time with LabCorp’s?
Answer
LabCorp curiously changed the manufacturer of the kit they use for VIP in November 2011; the resulting normal range was changed markedly just after our VIP paper was presented at the Johanning conference in September, 2011. It is my distinct feeling that there is an agenda that someone at LC in Burlington has about Lyme that impacts on that lab’s aberrant behavior. I have no proof of that concern and cannot say for sure. The normal range has been altered by LabCorp in no less than 6 tests. I was able to have the bizarre range for MMP9 changed but the decision only applied to my patients! Still, I use Quest for all VIP assays now. We still see “odd” levels from other docs who send samples to Quest but not as many as when they used LC. We still add Trasylol to chilled tubes just after the draw. I hope your office is drawing your blood samples; otherwise you are at the mercy of other lab techs.
Question Volume 1
Is it ever possible for the VCS, C4a, or TGFB1 to be not improved compared to baseline after
adequately removing mold exposure, using biotoxin binders, and treating Lyme and MARCONS?
Answer
Yes. Especially in 4-3-53 and 11-3-52B. The absence of correction of these parameters led to the VIP protocol.
Question Volume 1
I’ve noticed several patients on biotoxin binders who have had dramatic increases in their C4a
levels at their follow up visits while on biotoxin binders. What are the common reasons for this?
Answer
Which Biotoxin Binders? CSM? Welchol? Or are you trying something else? We have tried just about everything. Some people have said they get good results variously with charcoal, bentonite, chitosan, pectin and more. Every time I tried those there is no change in labs. Re-exposure is the most common by far. As MASP2 gets revved up, auto-activating, the idea of sicker, quicker comes into play. C4a can go to over 190,000. Eradication of MRCoNS will also usually be followed by a rise in C4a.
Question Volume 1
I am looking at your VEGF cases versus controls and having some difficulty understanding it. I
only see results listed for the mold cases. And if I understand it about 21 percent have VEGF
values above 85. This is a long winded way of my asking if an elevated VEGF gives any
information about the presence of mold biotoxins.
Answer
No. The labs simply tell us about innate immune activation. Without specific diagnostic testing we must rely on differential diagnosis.
Question Volume 1
When Ritchie was here last year, he outlined treatment protocols for each step. However, we
didn’t get to VEGF. My understanding was that Actos was useful for that as well as for elevated
MMP9. Does that mean that high dose fish oil treats low VEGF as well? Any other treatments
besides the exercise? How long is the fish oil used for?
Answer
Yes, high dose omega-3 can duplicate the genomic effects of Actos. 2.4 g of EPA and 1.8 g DHA is easily obtained with three of the concentrated Nordic Natural capsules a day. Use enteric coated if you can. Follow for one month and re-check the labs.
Question Volume 1
Do any of the labs such as C4a, MSH, TGF beta, VEGF need to be drawn at a certain time of day
or fasting?
Answer
No.
Question Volume 1
Two more lab questions. I am wondering if I have to specify to our local Quest lab that they send
the C4a and C3a test somewhere back East to be run? Also, does the VIP test have to be done
fasting and after 3 days of a high carbohydrate diet? That is what LabCorp says in their info on
the test. I’ve ordered the nasal culture kits from Diagnostic Lab Medicine, thank you for the
info.
Answer
The lab code for C4a should specify that the test is sent to NJC. Check with your local Quest rep. I never use LabCorp now for the VIP; so many reasons, not the least of which is the commentary on testing/diet.
Question Volume 1
I am confused about the normal range on TGFB-1. I am getting some results back from
Cambridge Biomedical, with a range of 344 to 2382 pg/ml. Other samples are being run
somewhere else (even though both are sent to Quest) and the normal range is listed as 3465 to
13,889 pg/ml. Those samples say “Transforming Growth Factor beta, serum” instead of “Human
transforming growth factor beta 1, EDTA plasma.” Are they different tests, different techniques?
Is it valid to use the results but with the lower normal range on the second kind of results, or do
we have to re-run the tests, and somehow get Quest to do the same thing every time?
Answer
Suggest you call the lab where the normal range is so high. I suspect that is ARUP. The kit I validated with Cambridge uses double spun plasma to be sure that all platelet contamination is gone. I can’t vouch for accuracy of serum testing here. I would not suggest that you use ARUP for serum TGF beta-1. Sorry to ruin your data set. It is like VEGF. All my data is standardized by plasma and never with serum.
Question Volume 1
Please direct me to information regarding the testing and specific clinical interpretation of CD4
and CD25.
Answer
Take a look at the PowerPoint from 9/2011 on T regs (available in the Physician's section under member resources, January 2012), the multiple bibliographies and the recent newsletters. You probably need to set up a dialogue with the local Quest rep to send samples to Chantilly. Your rep needs to be involved at first.
