Table 1. Clinical characteristics of the study population.

	HC	HCV	EVR	SVR
	(n = 17)	(n = 20)	(n = 20)	(n = 20)
Age, year[mean±SEM]	35.82±2.89	45.4±2.97	45.4±2.97	45.4±2.97
Sex, Female/male	9/8	10/10	10/10	1010
ALT, IU/ml[mean±SEM]	n.a.	85.9±18.76	32.35±5.41	23.3±2.16
HCV-RNA mean log10cps/ml±SEM	n.a.	5.97±0.15	<2.0	<2.0
HCV genotype 1b/2a	n.a.	10/7	10/7	10/7

Abbreviations: HC: healthy controls; HCV: treatment-naive patients with chronic hepatitis C; EVR: HCV patients with EVR after 3-month antiviral treatment; SVR: patients who achieved SVR after antiviral treatment; SEM: standard error of mean; n.a.: not applicable. Note: HCV genotype could not be identified in 3 patients in HCV, EVR and SVR group.