Table 3.
Predictors of rods and rings antibody (RR) positivity
| Characteristic | RR negative (n=300) | RR positive (n=15) | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Demographics |
|
|
|
| Median age, yrs |
51 (44–54) |
51 (46–61) |
0.38 |
| Male gender |
61% (182) |
73% (11) |
0.42 |
|
HCV genotype 1 |
76% (228) |
73% (11) |
0.76 |
|
Prior injection drug use |
45% (134) |
47% (7) |
1.00 |
|
Prior HCV treatment |
3% (9) |
33% (5) |
<0.0005 |
|
Biochemical data † |
|
|
|
| ALT, IU/L |
65 (42–110) |
52 (24–80) |
0.16 |
| Platelets, x109/L |
202 (167–243) |
182 (134–245) |
0.38 |
|
Histologic characteristics |
|
|
|
| A2-3 necroinflammation |
73% (218) |
53% (8) |
0.14 |
| F2-4 fibrosis |
66% (198) |
67% (10) |
1.00 |
|
Autoantibodies |
|
|
|
| ANA positive |
89% (266) |
100% (15) |
0.39 |
| AMA positive | 2% (5) | 0% (0) | 1.00 |
Abbreviations: ANA, antinuclear antibodies; AMA, anti-mitochondrial antibodies; RR, Rods and Rings. † ALT and platelets missing in 10 and 5 patients, respectively.