Table 1.
Clinical, virological and histological patient features.
| Chronic HCV Patients (n = 48) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Age (years) median (min.–max.) | 54 (32–72) | |
| Gender | Male: Female | 1:1 |
| Risk factor for HCV infection % (n/total) | Drug abuse | 18.75 (9/48) |
| Transfusion | 16.68 (8/48) | |
| Sexual | 8.33 (4/48) | |
| Hemodialysis | 2.08 (1/48) | |
| Occupational | 2.08 (1/48) | |
| Tattoo | 2.08 (1/48) | |
| Unknown | 50 (24/48) | |
| Genotype % (n) | 1a | 41.67 (20/48) |
| 1b | 41.67 (20/48) | |
| 2 | 6.25 (3/48) | |
| 3a | 6.25 (3/48) | |
| 4 | 2.08 (1/48) | |
| ND | 2.08 (1/48) | |
| Viral load (IU/ml) median | 1160000 | |
| (min.–max.) | (343–82,400,000) | |
| ALT (IU/L) median (min.–max.) | 70 (10–330). | |
| % (n/total) | Elevated | 80.85 (38/47) |
| AST (IU/L) median (min.–max.) | 56 (14–296) | |
| % (n/total) | Elevated | 63.83 (30/47) |
| Hepatitis1% (n/total) | Minimal | 2.27 (1/44) |
| Mild | 18.18 (8/44) | |
| Moderate | 59.09 (26/44) | |
| Severe | 20.46 (9/44) | |
| Fibrosis stage2% (n/total) | F0 | 4.55 (2/44) |
| F1 | 31.82 (14/44) | |
| F2 | 29.54 (13/44) | |
| F3 | 25.00 (11/44) | |
| F4 | 9.09 (4/44) | |
| Advanced Fibrosis (≥3) | 34.09 (15/44) | |
ND, not determined; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; normal ALT and AST levels for adult patients were ≤40 and ≤42 IU/L, respectively when testing was done at 37°C. 1Hepatitis classification: minimal (HAI≤ 3), mild (HAI 4–6), moderate (HAI 7–12) and severe hepatitis (HAI>12). 2Fibrosis according to METAVIR. Four patients have a non-evaluable liver biopsy and therefore no information is available about liver damage.