Table 1.
Clinical and biochemical variables according to the grade of fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C
| F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | 52 | 53 | 37 | 36 | |
| Age* | 53 ± 13 | 56 ± 9 | 60 ± 8 | 59 ± 11 | 0.05 |
| Gender: M/F (%) | 44/56 | 57/43 | 38/62 | 53/47 | 0.29 |
| HCV genotype 1 (%) | 57.7 | 56.6 | 78.4 | 75 | 0.18 |
| HCV genotype 2 (%) | 7.7 | 3.8 | 2.7 | 5.6 | |
| HCV genotype 3 (%) | 34.6 | 39.6 | 18.9 | 18.4 | |
| Alcohol consumption (%) | 58/27/15 | 49/32/19 | 67/19/14 | 61/11/28 | 0.38 |
| Tabagism (%) | 33/8/59 | 47/11/41 | 38/8/54 | 31/8/61 | 0.58 |
| Type 2 diabetes (%) | 15 | 26 | 16 | 19 | 0.49 |
| Hypertension (%) | 31 | 41 | 56 | 42 | 0.14 |
| Metabolic syndrome (%) | 12 | 26 | 39 | 28 | 0.03 |
| Hepatocarcinoma (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | <0.001 |
| *BMI (kg/m2) | 26.49 ± 3.93 | 26.17 ± 3.68 | 26.76 ± 5.43 | 26.67 ± 4.40 | 0.94 |
| Waist circumference (cm) | 91.29 ± 11.53 | 92.07 ± 9.14 | 94.32 ± 13.18 | 95.78 ± 11.45 | 0.28 |
| TC (mg/dL)* | 169 ± 34 | 169 ± 36 | 174 ± 55 | 151 ± 33 | 0.12 |
| LDL (mg/dL)* | 101 ± 33 | 100 ± 37 | 107 ± 50 | 82 ± 23 | 0.08 |
| HDL (mg/dL) | 52 ± 15 | 47 ± 16 | 47 ± 19 | 49 ± 20 | 0.23 |
| Triglycerides (mg/dL)* | 91 ± 31 | 139 ± 145 | 115 ± 50 | 90 ± 30 | 0.34 |
| Fasting glucose (mg/dL)* | 96 ± 36 | 101 ± 32 | 101 ± 33 | 102 ± 25 | 0.36 |
| ALT (U/L) | 70 ± 36 | 96 ± 59 | 86 ± 57 | 84 ± 54 | 0.22 |
| AST (U/L) | 49 ± 25 | 71 ± 52a | 84 ± 49a | 101 ± 74a,b | <0.0001 |
| GGT (U/L) | 67 ± 50 | 98 ± 108 | 122 ± 86a | 150 ± 123a,b | <0.0001 |
| ALP (U/L) * | 78 ± 60 | 95 ± 65 | 92 ± 48 | 139 ± 80a,b,c | <0.0001 |
Results are expressed as mean ± SD. For the continuous variables analysis, Shapiro-Wilk W test was tested, and variable failing in this test was log transformed. If even so the normality was not verified, nonparametric tests were applied for these variables (indicated by *). ANOVA analysis or Kruskal-Wallis tests were performed, and the Tukey-Kramer HSD or Dunn test was used when significant differences were observed between the groups, being F1 (a), F2 (b), and F3 (c). Classes for ethnicity: Caucasoid, Negroid, and African descendant. Classes for alcohol: no drinking, <40 g/d, >40 g/d. Classes for smoke: ex-smoker, smoker, never-smoker. Abbreviations: GGT, gamma-glutamyl transferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; TC, total cholesterol; BMI, body mass index. Reference range: Glycemia ≤100 mg/dL; Triglycerides ≤150 mg/dL; HDL ≥40 mg/dL; LDL-C ≤130 mg/dL; TC ≤200 mg/dL; AST: Male 10 to 34 U/L, Female 10 to 36 U/L; ALT: Male 10 to 44 U/L, Female 10 to 36 U/L; GGT: Male 11 to 50 U/L, Female 7 to 32 U/L; ALP: Male 40 to 129 U/L, Female 35 to 104 U/L. P < 0.05 was considered significant (italicized data).