Table 1.
Clinical and biochemical characteristics of patients with chronic hepatitis C infection (CHC) and healthy controls.
| Healthy Controls | CHC patients | Cirrhotic CHC patients | |
|---|---|---|---|
| (n) | 40 | 51 | 34 |
| Male : female ratio | 23 : 17 | 22 : 29 | 14 : 10 |
| Age (years) | 32.5 (19–65) | 46* (18–65) | 43 (26–70) |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 28 (22–33) | 25.6 (22–31) | — |
| Diabetes mellitus (%) | — | 43% | — |
| ALT (U/L) | 24 (20–28) | 93**(10–392) | 47** (16–79) |
| AST (U/L) | 27 (23–30) | 68**(12–272) | 79** (19–150) |
| γ-GT (U/L) | 26 (25–28) | 62.5* (9.0–321) | 92** (78–106) |
| Total cholesterol (mg/dL) | 188 (140–200) | 160 (154–209) | 140* (130–203) |
| LDL cholesterol (mg/dL) | 116 (80–130) | 110 (78–141) | 92 (80–135) |
| HDL cholesterol (mg/dL) | 60 (35–80) | 43 (30–52) | 40 (30–75) |
| Triglycerides (mg/dL) | 76 (35–150) | 84 (76–183) | 78 (30–190) |
| Albumin (g/L) | 45 (36–57) | 41 (39–48) | 30* (16–45) |
| hsCRP (mg/L) | 1.2 (0.1–4.8) | 3.5*(0.22–4.45) | 4.9** (3.5–10.5) |
Data reported as median (range). Statistical significance: * P < 0.05; ** P < 0.01 versus healthy controls. AST, aspartate aminotransferase; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; γGT, gamma glutamyltransferase; hsCRP, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.