Table 1.

Baseline characteristics

	Retinol group (n = 60)	Control group (n = 60)	p value
Age (yr)	55.1 ± 10.3	55.5 ± 10.3	0.65
Males (%)	36 (60)	40 (67)	0.45
Body weight (kg)	60.6 ± 13.3	59.6 ± 8.3	0.49
ALT (IU/l)	80.7 ± 46.2	125.0 ± 117.7	0.05
Platelet (×104/µl)	15.2 ± 5.3	15.9 ± 4.7	0.94
WBC (/µl)	4863 ± 1541	5252 ± 1343	0.14
Hemoglobin(g/dｌ)	14.1 ± 1.1	14.3 ± 1.3	0.26
HCV-RNA (KIU/ml)	529 ± 334	519 ± 273	0.86
HCV genotype 2a	30	27	0.73
2b	3	2
1b	27	31
Fibrosing score (F-factor)	1.4 ± 1.2	1.7 ± 1.0	0.14
Ribavirin dose (mg/kg)	11.6 ± 1.7	11.8 ± 1.80	0.55

Data are expressed as the mean ± SD.