TABLE II. Clinical and demographic characteristics of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients treated with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin (RBV) (n = 97).
| Characteristics | Baseline values |
|---|---|
| Age (years) (mean ± SD) | 57.5 ± 9.4 |
| Gender [n (%)] | |
| Male | 37 (38) |
| Female | 60 (62) |
| Hb (g/dL) (mean ± SD) | 13.98 ± 1.57 |
| Platelet count (x 109/L) (mean ± SD) | 168.5 ± 67.5 |
| Leukocytes (x 109/L) [median (range)] | 5.5 (5.6-14.1) |
| ASTa (U/L) [median (range)] | 61.0 (15.0-276.0) |
| ALTb (U/L) [median (range)] | 75.0 (12.0-281.0) |
| γ-GTc (U/L) [median (range)] | 80.0 (14.0-290.0) |
| HCV genotyped [n (%)] | |
| 1 | 16 (16.5) |
| 1a | 30 (31) |
| 1b | 42 (43.3) |
| 3 | 9 (9.2) |
| Serum viral loadd | |
| UI/mL [median (range)] | 825,046.0 (3,732.0-9,110,000.0) |
| Log-transformed (mean ± SD) | 5.8 ± 0.7 |
| RBV dose reductione [n (%)] | |
| Yes | 17 (17.5) |
| No | 31 (32) |
| SVRf [n (%)] | |
| Yes | 31 (32) |
| No | 35 (36) |
a: aspartate aminotransferase (AST) normal values up to 37 U/L; b: alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normal values up to 41 U/L; c: gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT) normal values between 11-50 U/L;d: Abbott Real-Time HCV assay (Abbott Laboratories, USA) (lower detection limit: 12 IU/mL);e: at least 20% of RBV dose and therapy for 20% of the scheduled treatment period (data available from 48 patients);f: data available from 66 patients; Hb: haemoglobin; SD: standard deviation; SVR: sustained virological response (undetectable serum HCV-RNA 24 weeks after completion of antiviral therapy).