Table 1.
Demographic data and laboratory findings of rheumatic patients with chronic HCV infection, and without infection.
| Variable | Chronic HCV Infection (n = 41) | Without infection | |
|---|---|---|---|
| With MC (n = 28) | Without MC (n = 13) | (n = 45) | |
| Age at study entry (years) | 64.2 ± 8.5 | 66.3 ± 5.0 | 65.8 ± 7.2 |
| Gender (female, %) | 21 (75.0) | 10 (76.9) | 33 (73.3) |
| Disease duration (years) | 9.8 ± 5.3 | 10.2 ± 4.5 | 10.5 ± 3.7 |
| Related rheumatic diseases | |||
| Sjögren’s syndrome | 21 (75.0) | 5 (38.5) | 20 (44.4) |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 5 (17.9) | 5 (38.5) | 21 (46.7) |
| Systemic lupus erythematosus | 2 (7.1) | 3 (23.1) | 4 (8.9) |
| RF (IU/ml) | 55.3 ± 28.9* | 48.8 ± 21.2 | 45.6 ± 30.5 |
| Anti-CCP antibody (positive, %) | 11 (39.3) | 5 (38.5) | 21 (46.7) |
| ESR (mm/h) | 28.7 ± 8.3 | 25.8 ± 3.9 | 23.3 ± 5.8 |
| C4 (mg/dl) | 16.3 ± 5.2* | 35.2 ± 8.6 | ND |
| ALT (U/l) | 55.8 ± 32.8* | 35.7 ± 15.6 | ND |
| Anti-HCV antibody (positive, %) | 28 (100.0) | 13 (100.0) | 0 (0) |
| HCV viral loads at baseline (106 IU/mL) | 3.45 ± 3.48 | 3.84 ± 2.53 | ND |
| Medications used at study entry | |||
| corticosteroid | 28 (100.0) | 13 (100.0) | 45 (100.0) |
| csDMARDs | 28 (100.0) | 13 (100.0) | 45 (100.0) |
| TNF inhibitors | 1 (3.6) | 1 (7.7) | 7 (15.6) |
| Rituximab | 1 (3.6) | 0 (0) | 1 (2.2) |
| ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir | 2 (7.1) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
Values are mean ± SD or the number (%) of patients.
*P < 0.05 between chronic HCV infection with MC versus without MC or without infection.
ALT, alanine aminotransferase; C4, complement 4; CCP, cyclic citrullinated peptide; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; RF, rheumatoid factor; ND, nondetermined; csDMARDs, conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs; TNF, tumor necrosis factor.