TABLE 1.
Characteristics of participants with persistent hepatitis C virus (HCV) versus those with HCV clearance
| Characteristic | HCV persistence (Ab+/RNA+) (N=583), n (%) | HCV clearance (Ab+/RNA–) (N=179), n (%) | OR (95% CI) | P* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex | ||||
| Male | 411 (70.5) | 102 (57.0) | – | – |
| Female | 172 (29.5) | 77 (43.0) | 1.8 (1.3–2.6) | 0.001 |
| Ethnicity | ||||
| Caucasian | 389 (66.7) | 82 (45.8) | – | – |
| Aboriginal | 145 (24.9) | 86 (48.0) | 2.8 (2.0–4.0) | <0.001 |
| Other | 49 (8.4) | 11 (6.2) | 1.1 (0.53–2.1) | 0.99 |
| Estimated age at infection† | ||||
| <30 years | 236 (40.6) | 81 (45.3) | – | – |
| ≥30 years | 345 (59.2) | 98 (54.7) | 0.83 (0.59–1.2) | 0.31 |
| Estimated age at infection | ||||
| ≤20 | 41 (7.1) | 16 (8.9) | – | – |
| 21 to 30 | 195 (33.6) | 65 (36.3) | 0.85 (0.45–1.6) | 0.75 |
| 31 to 40 | 208 (35.8) | 63 (35.2) | 0.78 (0.41–1.5) | 0.55 |
| 41 to 50 | 111 (19.1) | 27 (15.1) | 0.62 (0.31–1.3) | 0.27 |
| >50 | 26 (4.5) | 8 (4.5) | 0.79 (0.30–2.1) | 0.81 |
| Housing status | ||||
| Unstable | 434 (74.4) | 124 (69.3) | – | – |
| Stable | 149 (25.6) | 55 (30.7) | 1.3 (0.89–1.9) | 0.20 |
| Methadone treatment | ||||
| No | 368 (63.1) | 125 (69.8) | – | – |
| Yes | 215 (36.9) | 54 (30.2) | 0.74 (0.52–1.1) | 0.12 |
| Jail time | ||||
| No | 446 (76.5) | 138 (77.1) | – | – |
| Yes | 137 (23.5) | 41 (22.9) | 0.97 (0.65–1.4) | 0.95 |
| HBV coinfection | ||||
| No previous infection | 559 (95.9) | 170 (95.0) | – | – |
| Previous infection | 24 (4.1) | 9 (5.0) | 1.2 (0.56–2.7) | 0.67 |
| HIV-1 coinfection | ||||
| HIV-1− | 406 (69.6) | 138 (77.1) | – | – |
| HIV-1+ | 177 (30.4) | 41 (22.9) | 0.68 (0.46–1.0) | 0.06 |
Percentages indicate proportion in columns.
*
As determined by the χ2 or Fisher’s exact test as appropriate;
†
Age data were not obtained for two participants. – Negative; + Positive; Ab Antibody; HBV Hepatitis B virus