TABLE 3.
Comparison of various features between the HEV RNA-positive and -negative groups among the 87 patients with sporadic, acute hepatitis of unknown etiology
| Featurea | HEV RNA-positive patients (n = 11) | HEV RNA-negative patients (n = 76) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (yr [mean ± SD]) | 52 ± 11 | 41 ± 17 | <0.05b |
| Sex (no. of males/no. of females) | 9/2 | 29/47 | <0.01c |
| Peak total bilirubin level | |||
| Mean ± SD (mg/dl) | 8.9 ± 8.3 | 4.3 ± 6.0 | <0.05b |
| No. (%) of patients with > 4 mg/dl | 8 (72.7) | 23 (30.3) | <0.01c |
| Peak ALT level | |||
| Mean ± SD (IU/liter) | 2,292 ± 1,326 | 1,603 ± 2,863 | <0.01b |
| No. (%) of patients with >1,000 IU/liter | 10 (90.9) | 34 (44.7) | <0.005c |
| Peak AST level | |||
| Mean ± SD (IU/liter) | 1,776 ± 1,615 | 1,650 ± 2,618 | NSd (0.0697)b |
| No. (%) of patients with >800 IU/liter | 9 (81.8) | 36 (47.4) | <0.05c |
a
See Table 2 footnotes c to e for abbreviations and normal ranges.
b
Mann-Whitney U test.
c
Fisher's exact test.
d
NS, not significant.