Table 1.
Characteristics of the patients with and without hepatitis C coinfection
| Variable | Hepatitis C virus + (N = 63) |
Hepatitis C virus - (N = 138) |
P |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, years (median [IQR]) | 43.7 (39.4-47.0) | 43.5 (35.6-49.5) | 0.55 |
| Men, no. (%) | 53 (84.1) | 100 (72.5) | 0.08 |
| Category C of the CDC, no. (%) | 13 (20.6) | 49 (35.5) | 0.04 |
| IDU, no. (%) | 58 (92.1) | 11 (8.0) | <0.001 |
| MSM, no. (%) | 0 | 56 (40.6) | <0.001 |
| Viral load < 50 copies/mL, no. (%) | 44 (69.8) | 90 (65.2) | 0.63 |
| CD4 cell count, cells/μL (median [IQR]) | 530 (280-750) | 495 (317.5-652.5) | 0.86 |
| On antiretroviral therapy, no. (%) | 56 (88.9) | 115 (83.3) | 0.39 |
| Duration of antiretroviral therapy exposure, years (median [IQR]) | 9.0 (3.75-10.0) | 6.0 (1.88-10.0) | 0.25 |
| Non nucleoside analog-based regimen, no. (%) | 17 (27.0) | 53 (38.7) | 0.11 |
| Protease inhibitor-based regimen, no. (%) | 36 (57.1) | 58 (42.3) | 0.07 |
| Lipodystrophy1, no. (%) | 19 (30.2) | 47 (34.1) | 0.63 |
| Current smoker, no. (%) | 53 (84.1) | 71 (51.4) | <0.001 |
| Dyslipidemia, no. (%) | 12 (19) | 56 (40.6) | 0.002 |
| Lipid-lowering therapy | 5 (7.9) | 42 (30.4) | <0.001 |
| Hypertension, no. (%) | 8 (12.7) | 29 (21.0) | 0.17 |
| Diabetes, no. (%) | 3 (4.8) | 14 (10.1) | 0.28 |
| Pre-existing cardiovascular disease, no. (%) | 2 (3.2) | 3 (2.2) | 0.65 |
| Body mass index, Kg/m2 (median [IQR]) | 24.05 (21.56-27.86) | 25.0 (21.99-28.32) | 0.48 |
| Hepatitis B virus, no. (%) | 0 | 4 (3.0) | 0.30 |
| Hepatitis C viral load, copies/mL (median [IQR]) | 748,056 (145,564-3,204,245) | - | - |
| APRI index (median [IQR]) | 0.67 (0.39-1.29) | 0.22 (0.18-0.31) | <0.001 |
| Genotypes 1 and 4 (n = 37) | 0.67 (0.40-1.11) | ||
| Genotypes 2 and 3 (n = 24) | 0.73 (0.38-1.62) | 0.933 | |
| FIB-4 index (median [IQR]) | 1.40 (0.98-3.27) | 0.91 (0.66-1.17) | <0.001 |
| Genotypes 1 and 4 (n = 37) | 1.52 (1.09-2.74) | ||
| Genotypes 2 and 3 (n = 24) | 1.42 (0.91-4.14) | 0.863 | |
| Waist-to-hip ratio (median [IQR]) | 0.94 (0.89-0.98) | 0.93 (0.88-0.98) | 0.72 |
| Metabolic syndrome2, no. (%) | 14 (22.2) | 42 (30.4) | 0.31 |
| Framingham risk at 10 years4, % (median [IQR]) | 5 (2-8) | 4 (1-10) | 0.69 |
| Systolic blood pressure, mm Hg (median [IQR]) | 122 (114-133) | 130 (118.5-142) | 0.006 |
| Diastolic blood pressure, mm Hg (median [IQR]) | 76 (69-83) | 79 (71-85) | 0.21 |
| Fasting total cholesterol, mg/dL (median [IQR]) | 163 (146-186) | 185 (158.8-213.3) | 0.001 |
| Fasting LDL-cholesterol, mg/dL (median [IQR]) | 104 (86-123) | 119.5 (100-140) | 0.001 |
| Fasting HDL-cholesterol, mg/dL (median [IQR]) | 41.2 (34.5-50.2) | 43.5 (36.9-51.2) | 0.56 |
| Fasting triglycerides, mg/dL (median [IQR]) | 131 (86-171) | 137.5 (94.8-197.5) | 0.30 |
| Fasting glucose, mg/dL (median [IQR]) | 87.0 (81-99) | 87.0 (80.8-97) | 0.93 |
| VCAM-1, ηg/mL (median [IQR]) | 931.4 (707.8-1606.5) | 766.6 (630.3-974.5) | <0.001 |
| ICAM-1, ηg/mL (median [IQR]) | 492.6 (354.4-713.1) | 314.3 (251.9-408.3) | <0.001 |
| Baseline brachial artery diameter, cm (median [IQR]) | 4.30 (3.87-4.53) | 4.14 (3.60-4.60) | 0.20 |
| Brachial artery FMD, % (median [IQR]) | 6.21 (2.86-9.62) | 5.54 (2.13-9.13) | 0.37 |
| Genotypes 1 and 4 (n = 37) | 6.78 (2.01-11.80) | ||
| Genotypes 2 and 3 (n = 24) | 5.09 (3.02-8.29) | 0.323 | |
| Brachial artery nitroglycerine MD, % (median [IQR]) | 18.35 (15.27-25.65) | 19.68 (12.31-24.57) | 0.86 |
| Genotypes 1 and 4 (n = 37) | 19.44 (15.50-28.16) | ||
| Genotypes 2 and 3 (n = 24) | 18.22 (11.62-22.08) | 0.163 | |
| Carotid IMT, mm (median [IQR]) | 0.61 (0.55-0.65) | 0.60 (0.53-0.72) | 0.39 |
| Genotypes 1 and 4 (n = 37) | 0.59 (0.52-0.65) | ||
| Genotypes 2 and 3 (n = 24) | 0.63 (0.55-0.68) | 0.153 | |
| Carotid plaques, no. (%) | 25 (39.7) | 48 (38.4) | 0.53 |
All continuous variables are expressed as median (interquartile range). Categorical variables represent number (%).
IDU, intravenous drug users; MSM, men who have sex with men; FMD, flow-mediated dilatation; MD, mediated dilatation; IMT, intima-media thickness; IQR, interquartile range.
APRI = [AST (U/L)/upper limit of normal (U/L)] × 100/platelets (109/L).
FIB-4 = Age × AST (U/L)/[platelets (109/L) × ALT1/2 (U/L)]
1Lipodystrophy was defined as the presence of body-fat changes that could be clearly recognised by both the patient and the doctor.
2Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the new International Diabetes Federation criteria. by the existence of central obesity (waist circumference in females > 80 cm and in males > 94 cm in Europeans) plus two of the following factors: raised triglycerides (> 150 mg/dl), reduced HDL cholesterol (< 50 mg/dl in females and < 40 mg/dl in males), raised blood pressure (≥130/85 mm Hg), and raised fasting plasma glucose (> 100 mg/dl), or specific therapy for any of such conditions.
3P for the comparison between genotypes 1 and 4 with genotypes 2 and 3.
4The 10-year risk of developing myocardial infarction or coronary death was calculated for each patient with the Framingham equation.