LymeNet Flash: Stricker HNK-1 panel

This is topic Stricker HNK-1 panel in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by Pepster (Member # 6524) on :

Can someone tell me exactly what this test measures? And what is the relationship between the test result and whether or not you have active Lyme.

I am asking for someone who had this test and their result was 48. Their LLMD told them it should be around 100 optimally. But what does the number mean as far as whether your Lyme Disease is active or not . Does anyone know?

Posted by minoucat (Member # 5175) on :

Up for responses.

Posted by seibertneurolyme (Member # 6416) on :

Is this the same as the CD57 test?

Bea Seibert

Posted by Pepster (Member # 6524) on :

I don't know exactly. What does that test measure. It is the test developed by Dr. S out of San Francisco. The blood has to be sent to a lab in California.

Posted by seibertneurolyme (Member # 6416) on :

I am pretty sure it is the same test. I don't think results have been as promising as expected. The test measures a certain subset of the natural killer cells that is theoretically only low in patients with Lyme disease.

Dr B on Long Island told my hubby that if results were less than 100 then it meant a person's immune system was not actively fighting the Lyme. Higher numbers suggest the immune system is doing it's job and should correlate with improvement of health/recovery.

The supplement which he suggested to raise the test score was Reishi mushroom from Pharmanex -- it's expensive at about $100 per month, but I do think it works -- it uses cracked spores from the mushroom and I haven't been able to find a comparable product from another source.

Here is a recent thread on this test -- as I said it is somewhat controversial. http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/036851.html

Bea Seibert

Posted by breathwork (Member # 567) on :

Here is my limited understanding....

Dr. S proposes that certain types of CD cells become much lower when a person has active lyme disease.

Supposedly, the count is low when lyme is active and the count comes back up into the normal range as the disease is conquered.

He sees these cell counts as an indicator of status of the disease in an individual. This is theoretical as I understand it.

I for one follow his thesis to a "T"....I feel like crud and my counts are low. When I progress over time with meds, my CD counts go back up.

When I was reinfected...had a subsequent tick bite with big EM rash on my thigh, my CD counts went back down again...and my symptoms followed them...

I have felt better the last six weeks and am anxious to see what my CD counts have been this summer. I don't like to know until after I report to Dr. S. how I have been feeling...

I also understand that this pattern is not found in every patient, but that he has found his theory to hold water in many cases.

I don't know what the variables are to determine if a patient fits a certain profile or not....I just try to keep up with me and my children and my dog....That's a big enough challenge for my lyme brain!

I wish I remembered more to tell you!

Carol Ann

Posted by Pepster (Member # 6524) on :

Thanks Bea, Yes that makes sense because she was told her numbers were not high enough. And another doctor also said it had to do with natural killer cells. I am glad to have this information to give to her. I actually would like to have that test run myself. Thanks.

Thanks Carol Ann, that is interesting information.

I wonder if there are other supplements besides this Pharmanex ones that can help. I am sure there are! There are other things that are supposed to increase the NK count.
Thanks so much.

Lisa

Posted by DolphinLady (Member # 6275) on :

I feel better with higher cd57 as well.

When I feel bad, predictably for me, the numbers are lower.