Millions of people in the United States have liver disease. Your healthcare provider may have diagnosed you with Chronic Liver Disease (CLD) or at high risk of having CLD. There are many standard procedures and blood tests to check your liver which are available to your healthcare provider. As part of your overall liver assessment, the HepQuant DuO™ test gives your doctor information about the current level of your liver health at all stages of the disease. Your healthcare provider may use HepQuant DuO testing over the course of your visits to check and keep track of your liver’s health and watch for changes in liver diseases or disorders you may have.
HepQuant DuO Helps Your Doctor Check Your Liver Health
The HepQuant DuO Test Process
After arriving at your healthcare provider’s office or designated blood collection site, to begin the HepQuant Duo test, you will be asked to drink a solution that contains a naturally occurring substance that is found in your body called cholate. Twenty minutes after consuming the cholate drink, 3 mL (approximately 0.6 teaspoon) of blood will be collected. Then, forty minutes later a second blood collection will occur.
After the last blood draw, the lab will prepare your samples and send them to the HepQuant lab in Colorado, via overnight delivery. The test results will be sent directly to your healthcare provider in about one week. Be sure to schedule a follow-up appointment with your doctor to review the results.
Your healthcare provider will use your HepQuant Duo test results to see how well your liver is working based on how your liver processes cholate. The result of the HepQuant lab analysis of your blood samples is a number called the Disease Severity Index (DSI). Your doctor will use the DSI along with other test results and procedures, to assess the current health of your liver function and give you advice on how to care for your liver.
How to Prepare for the HepQuant DuO Test
5 Days Before
Do not take weight loss medicines like GLP-1 agonists (e.g., Ozempic®, Wegovy®, Rybelsus®, and others) for at least 5 days before your scheduled test.
The Day Before
For at least 24 hours before your test, do not take any over-the counter dietary supplements (including, but not limited to Metamucil®, Benefiber®, and oral cyclodextrin products), prescriptions for bile acid sequestrants, or binding resins (e.g., Prevalite®, Questran®, Colestid®, and Welchol®).
The Day of Your Test
Do not take the following medications on the morning of testing, until after the HepQuant DuO test:
- Beta blockers, ARBs, or ACE inhibitors (e.g., Metoprolol, Losartan, Lisinopril, and others).
- Ursodeoxycholic acid (e.g., Ursodiol, Actigall), cholic acid (e.g., Cholbam®), or other bile acids.
5 Hours Before Your Test
For at least 5 hours before your appointment, do not eat or drink anything except water.
HepQuant DuO Test FAQ
Cholate is a natural substance that your body makes from cholesterol. It is made in your liver and helps you digest and absorb the fat in your diet. You have from 1000 to 3000 milligrams of cholate in your body. The HepQuant DuO test administers 40 milligrams of labeled cholate in the drink you consume at the beginning of the test.
The full test takes about 1 hour. After the test is complete, you can resume taking any medications, supplements, and eating and drinking as normal.
Your doctor will recommend how often you should have a HepQuant DuO test.
The Disease Severity Index (DSI) is based on your liver’s ability to process cholate from the blood. DSI increases as liver disease progresses. Your doctor will explain the results of your DSI and other test results. Ask your doctor if you have more questions about your HepQuant DuO test results.
The test result is used in combination with results from other standard blood tests, imaging tests, and other measures of liver disease to help your doctor decide how much follow-up and treatment you may need and whether you need to undergo more invasive procedures, like screening endoscopies.
Yes, HepQuant will submit the claim to your insurance company and your insurance company will note this on your Explanation of Benefits (EOB). The EOB is not a bill. HepQuant will work to process all claims including denials, appeals to help secure the lowest applicable deductible, co-payment, and coinsurance as specified by your insurance provider. If you have any questions regarding your insurance or when you receive a bill, please reach out to HepQuant directly at (833) 539-9700.