TABLE 1.
Clinical characteristics of HCV-infected patientsa
| Group (n) | Age (yrs) (mean ± SD) | No. of females/no. of males | HAIb (mean ± SD) | Mean HCV RNA titer (105 copies/ml) | No. (%) of patients with autoantibodies | No. (%) of patients with cryoglobulins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Untreated HCV-positive patients (27) | 47 ± 12 | 16/11 | 8.4 ± 3.5 | 6.1 ± 2.3 | 18 (66) | 9 (33) |
| Treated, HCV-negative patients (10) | 46 ± 16 | 6/4 | Negative | 3 (33) | 2 (20) | |
| Healthy patients (30) | 44 ± 14 | 16/14 | 0 |
a
The difference in the numbers of patients with autoantibodies was significant, with a P value of 0.045. All other differences in the variables between groups were not significant.
b
HAI, histological activity index.